Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Child Poverty

Willie Penrose

15. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of children in poverty; the steps she is taking to tackle the problem; if she has held discussions with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to address the reported capacity problem within the childcare sector which is regarded as a key driver of childhood poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22917/19]

Pensions Reform

Willie Penrose

40. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the consideration that has been given to women, young persons and minorities earning below €20,000 as part of her plans to introduce pension auto-enrolment; if auto-enrolment for this cohort will be considered with the option to opt-out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22915/19]

Medical Card Eligibility

Willie Penrose

101. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take in the course of budgetary negotiations to review the cap imposed in respect of means testing for medical cards for persons over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23154/19]

Climate Change Policy

Willie Penrose

36. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role of his Department in tackling climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22798/19]

Community Enhancement Programme Funding

Willie Penrose

41. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding under the community enhancement programme for 2019 compared to 2018; the number of additional projects that will be funded; if all funding has been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22797/19]

Defence Forces Properties

Willie Penrose

40. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if funding is available in 2019 for the refurbishment works on block 7 in Plunkett Barracks; the length of time the refurbishment works will take to complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22701/19]

Ministerial Communications

Willie Penrose

48. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken recently with the US Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22703/19]

State Bodies Data

Willie Penrose

76. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated full-year cost of recruiting eight additional laboratory analysts for the State laboratory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22702/19]

Schools Building Projects Status

Willie Penrose

101. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe for the completion of the construction of a school (details supplied); when it will be ready for occupation in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22579/19]

Schools Building Contractors

Willie Penrose

102. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to curtail the ability of contractors to tender for projects with his Department in circumstances in which it is shown that they have failed to honour contractual commitments and obligations under previous contracts with his Department; the steps he is taking to address such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22580/19]

Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision

Willie Penrose

134. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps being taken to support local authorities with the roll-out of community CCTV schemes to deter rural crime, particularly in relation to their assumed responsibility as a data controller under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22809/19]

Garda Transport Provision

Willie Penrose

170. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of additional marked roads policing unit vans that came into the fleet in 2018 and to date in 2019; the number withdrawn during the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22704/19]

Hospital Appointments Status

Willie Penrose

231. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) who is on a waiting list since October 2013 and is awaiting ENT treatment has not been called to date to have the procedure carried out; if this will now be addressed without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22430/19]

Disability Definitions

Willie Penrose

232. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to recognise the fact that persons who suffer from fibromyalgia have a disability; if appropriate treatment will be provided for persons who are suffering from it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22431/19]

Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme

Willie Penrose

318. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the €395 million allocated under the TAMS II scheme spent to date; if there are plans to extend the scheme beyond the proposed 2020 deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22812/19]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Willie Penrose

342. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of cases in which he estimates that connections will cost over €5,000 in relation to the national broadband plan; the proposed additional payment in such circumstances beyond the flat €100 fee suggested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22810/19]

Sports Capital Programme

Willie Penrose

388. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be given to providing local authorities the power to assess and determine the capital sports allocation in accordance with the usual criteria associated with same which would include the provision of the necessary resources to enable them to carry out the allocation in the ordinary way in view of the provision of more power and autonomy to local authorities and in order to encourage the devolution of such powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22415/19]

Proposed Legislation

Willie Penrose

398. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to update the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22705/19]

National Broadband Plan Data

Willie Penrose

433. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the interactions and discussions of his Department with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment regarding the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22810/19]

National Broadband Plan Data

Willie Penrose

434. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he has had discussions with the Department of Finance regarding the national broadband plan; if the anticipated cost will lead to a reduction of funding for other rural programmes such as the community enhancement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22811/19]