Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Treatment Benefit Scheme

Róisín Shortall

921. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the policy position on the optical benefit refund scheme; the reason the policy was amended given the hardship the change has created for families; and if he will consider reversing the policy. [38674/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Róisín Shortall

938. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of psychologists that have been reassigned to the Covid-19 testing and tracing response by CHO in tabular form; the impact this has had in respect of waiting lists; the timeline his Department is working towards to return all redeployed HSE staff to their original posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38776/20]

Driver Licences

Róisín Shortall

246. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if the requirement that a jobseeker must provide evidence of a job offer which requires a driving licence in order to qualify for the training grant of €250 for essential driver training will be reviewed in view of the difficulty to obtain any job offer which requires a driving licence without having already obtained a driving licence; if she will consider revising the requirement to show that the jobseeker is seriously applying for jobs which require a driving licence rather than evidence of a job offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37576/20]

Pensions Reform

Róisín Shortall

247. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if representatives from an organisation (details supplied) will be on the newly established Pensions Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37577/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Róisín Shortall

276. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of SUSI applications for the 2020-2021 academic year which have not yet been subject to a decision by SUSI; the measures that have been put in place to address the increased volume of applications relating to applicants’ financial change in circumstances as a result of Covid-19; if he plans to ensure that additional staff are recruited to the SUSI grants section to process applications and address backlogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37574/20]

Student Support Schemes

Róisín Shortall

277. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the basis on which students who attend specialist training providers are not generally being facilitated under the mitigating educational disadvantage fund or the €15 million fund established to address the digital divide at further education and third level. [37582/20]

Cancer Services

Róisín Shortall

314. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the total funding to be allocated to cancer services in the HSE Winter Plan 2020-2021; the way in which the funding will be allocated within cancer services in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37575/20]

Proposed Legislation

Róisín Shortall

324. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the public health (tobacco and nicotine inhaling products) Bill will be published; the measures he plans to adopt on e-cigarettes in view of the Health Research Board review on e-cigarettes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37616/20]

Rail Network

Róisín Shortall

52. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport the number of freight trains that departed from Mayo bound for Waterford or Dublin in the 12-month period ending 30 September 2020. [37355/20]

Childcare Costs

Róisín Shortall

130. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to concerns raised by community childcare providers on foot of a circular letter (details supplied); if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that many parents are struggling to pay the normal fee with the subsidy without having to pay the additional due to a child being unable to attend due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37264/20]

Garda Deployment

Róisín Shortall

159. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí allocated to each Garda station in the DMR by rank; the number in the community Garda service in each station in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37292/20]

Crime Data

Róisín Shortall

160. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice the number of stolen bikes seized by An Garda Síochána in 2019 and to date in 2020; the number that were returned to owners by An Garda Síochána in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37295/20]

Departmental Reports

Róisín Shortall

161. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice if a copy of the report will be provided which it is understood issued in February 2019 from a cross-agency meeting, comprising the Department of Transport, An Garda Síochána and the Office of the Attorney General and which aimed to identify specific solutions to deal with the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37297/20]

Medicinal Products

Róisín Shortall

189. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the application for reimbursement of the drug Dupilumab to treat severe atopic eczema; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37265/20]

National Maternity Hospital

Róisín Shortall

192. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the lease of the site for the new National Maternity Hospital has been agreed with a group (details supplied); the status of negotiations on the lease; the duration of the lease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37293/20]

National Maternity Hospital

Róisín Shortall

193. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1139 of 3 November 2020, if the reply will be reconciled with the fact that the company (details supplied) will not retain the legal right to mortgage the hospital; the steps he will take to ensure that this provision in its constitution does not give it authority to mortgage any or all parts of the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37294/20]

National Maternity Hospital

Róisín Shortall

194. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline provided to transfer shares in a group (details supplied) to the HSE by a religious organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37296/20]

General Practitioner Services

Róisín Shortall

205. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the action his Department is taking to address the problem of poor general practitioner coverage in areas of disadvantage; his views on the adequacy of the current practice supports for premises in this regard: the progress in introducing salaried general practitioners as a means of addressing the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37360/20]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

206. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current resource allocation system in use to ensure health resources are allocated fairly and in proportion to need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37361/20]

Departmental Offices

Róisín Shortall

88. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the error on the part of the Office of Public Works, OPW, in calculating the rent for the Department of Health facility at Miesian Plaza was discovered; when the rental payment was revised; the reason for any gap between discovery and revision; the steps that will be taken to recoup the rent; the reason for delays in recouping the overpayment of €10 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37048/20]