Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

37. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been delayed for over nine years in view of the fact that international agreements have the force of law to the extent determined by the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40439/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

41. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the significant blockages or barriers to ratification and enactment of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2007, in view of the fact there is no legal impediment to ratification from the United Nations perspective; the action that has been taken to address the putative barriers or blockages to date; when ratification is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40302/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

45. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on whether it is the cuts to disability services which has prevented the Government ratifying the convention in view of the lack of any barrier to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from a legal perspective and only from a policy point of view; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40441/16]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gino Kenny

46. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason children in care at a residential centre run by Tusla in County Tipperary were exposed to behaviours and situations that were higher risk than the situations they were removed from, according to HIQA; the safeguards for their care that have been put in place to ensure their current safety and security; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39934/16]

Child Protection

Gino Kenny

47. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason senior child protection sources who spoke to RTÉ said apparent discrimination by Tusla, reported by the HSE, which may have excluded children from child protection services was ongoing, but Tusla have issued a statement saying this was an issue only in the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39933/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

118. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the nature of the significant blockages or barriers to ratification and enactment of the 2007 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in view of the fact that there is no legal impediment to ratification from the United Nations perspective; the measures taken to address the putative barriers or blockages to date; when ratification can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39886/16]

Teaching Contracts

Gino Kenny

217. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he will address the anomaly whereby teachers that have taught outside of the EU are capped at seven years' credits, while teachers that have taught in other countries inside the EU receive credits on a year for year basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40061/16]

Teaching Contracts

Gino Kenny

218. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will review Circular 10 of 2001, in particular section 4.2 thereof, which caps credit in respect of service given in states outside the EU at seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40062/16]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Gino Kenny

421. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the assurances he can provide that community employment schemes in the health and social care service will not be used to replace permanent positions in the service nor to exploit jobseekers along the lines of previous discredited schemes such as JobBridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39448/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

4. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the preparations he is making across his Department to ensure rights will be vindicated for the persons with disabilities in the care of the health service and under his area of responsibility in view of the imminence of the Government's commitment to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38167/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

30. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the urgent respite that can be offered to such carers and the long-term remedy he is considering in view of the reply to parents of disabled adults that there is a ten-year waiting list for residential care and that the HSE is unable to provide them with an average waiting time, or indicate when a bed may be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/16]

Prescriptions Data

Gino Kenny

36. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on the monitoring of trends in the prescription of psychoactive psychotropic drugs here, especially to children, over the past 20 years; if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the rise in problems associated with prescribed medications, especially opioid painkillers and benzodiazepine sedatives in terms of drug dependency and overdose, including fatal overdose; the measures being taken to address the rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding prescription medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37968/16]

Disabilities Assessments

Gino Kenny

64. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number and cost of assessments of needs under the Disability Act 2005 that were contracted out to therapists in private practice and or carried out by agency staff between 2011 and 2015; the reason HSE employed staff are not being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37966/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Gino Kenny

69. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite special education assessments, in the view of the National Disability Authority and the Disability Act 2005, due to the failure to commence sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; the action he is taking in his dealings with the Department of Education and Skills and others to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37967/16]

Disabilities Assessments

Gino Kenny

82. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason that, according to the HSE, in cases of completed applications received for an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, between 2011 and 2015, less than two thirds of assessment reports were completed and of those completed, less than two thirds had service statements completed despite the clear requirements of the Act to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37965/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility

Gino Kenny

160. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person with multiple sclerosis and diabetes can hold a long-term illness card for life but a person with a long-term mental health diagnosis such as schizophrenia is ineligible for the same card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37771/16]

Health Services Expenditure

Gino Kenny

161. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the way in which Ireland is ranked in relation to OECD countries in relation to overall spending in health both public and private and Ireland's ranking for the public funding of health spending in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37772/16]

Child Abduction

Gino Kenny

378. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); if he will intervene by contacting the Algerian authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37486/16]

Consular Services Provision

Gino Kenny

379. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he has taken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37487/16]

Coroners Service

Gino Kenny

45. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if it is within her remit to direct an inquest to be held by a coroner; if she can direct an inquest into the death of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36630/16]