Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Credit Union Regulation

Willie Penrose

78. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance his plans to keep the Central Bank industry funding levy at current levels for credit unions up to, including and post-2021 in view of the fact that credit unions continue to encounter financial difficulties particularly in relation to income generation and return on assets resultant from low interest rates, low loan to asset ratios and high cost income metrics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25321/19]

Employment Data

Willie Penrose

33. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Taoiseach the latest employment figures; the breakdown of the figures in terms of those employed under banded hours categories A-B and A-D respectively; and if the inclusion of this criteria for future employment surveys will be considered. [22918/19]

Citizenship Applications

Willie Penrose

91. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application for citizenship by persons (details supplied) received by his Department on 16 April 2019 will be expedited; if while awaiting assessment of same the passports of a spouse and minors will be returned due to the family taking a vacation in their home country on 25 June 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24619/19]

Home Help Service Eligibility

Willie Penrose

144. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the reason home help cannot be provided to a person who is 65 years of age and has been diagnosed with advanced dementia which is steadily progressing and which refusal is on the basis that the person is under 65 years of age; if an exception can be made for a person with this medical condition which necessitates ongoing care and particularly some hours of home help; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24680/19]

Medical Card Applications

Willie Penrose

145. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will address an issue regarding a medical card for a person (details supplied). [24681/19]

Invalidity Pension Payments

Willie Penrose

209. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amounts paid to a person (details supplied) in respect of the increase the person received in payments for two qualified children from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24678/19]

Invalidity Pension Payments

Willie Penrose

210. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount received by a person (detail supplied) for the person and the person's spouse as adult dependants for the year ended 31 December 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24679/19]

Abbey Theatre

Willie Penrose

45. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the Abbey Theatre has met the conditions of improving the quality of employment opportunities it provides for Irish-based artists, including remuneration rates, for it to receive the €300,000 in funding allocated to it but frozen by the Arts Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24280/19]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Willie Penrose

151. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance the concessions and-or incentives available to persons who wish to secure a motor vehicle which would accommodate their disabled partner who is invalided or suffering from dementia in order to accommodate that person's travel to various appointments and so on; and if such concessions are available for the purchase of second-hand vehicles. [23470/19]

Special Education Review

Willie Penrose

297. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to review the eligibility rule in relation to special needs schools (details supplied); the steps he will take to ensure that this anomaly is rectified and the same rules would pertain to special needs schools as pertain to mainstream schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24348/19]

Education Grants

Willie Penrose

298. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the special rates of grants for disadvantaged students in which the income for the tax year January 2018 must not exceed €24,000; if the limit for the said reckonable income is increased for two additional family members who are pursuing full-time education, and in which ensuring that the said household, which has income of €26,200, would qualify for the disadvantaged students special rate of maintenance grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24351/19]

Disability Services Provision

Willie Penrose

477. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if steps will be taken to ensure that a person (details supplied) will be provided with a place in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23469/19]

Hospital Facilities

Willie Penrose

715. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure the required funding is provided to enable the construction of an appropriate building to accommodate an MRI scanner for the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar (details supplied); the staff to be provided for the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24315/19]

Brexit Supports

Willie Penrose

749. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to release the submissions made to the European Commission seeking a €100 million Brexit fund as an aid to beef farmers who have sustained significant losses in the past 12 months; the way in which this figure was computed; the form used to calculate the number of farmers who suffered loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24349/19]

Railway Stations

Willie Penrose

792. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will visit Thomastown train station, Killucan, County Westmeath, in view of a commitment given in Dáil Éireann and in order to appreciate at first hand the importance of reopening the station in terms of facilitating increased numbers travelling by rail and its contribution to environmental enhancement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23332/19]

Urban Development

Willie Penrose

959. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if progress is being made in relation to the provision of the necessary funding to Westmeath County Council to carry out a regeneration and revitalisation programme for western areas of Athlone (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23333/19]

Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Applications

Willie Penrose

1021. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if steps will be taken to ensure that a person (details supplied) is paid the appropriate compensation for cessation of turf cutting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24314/19]

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Willie Penrose

1022. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a natural heritage area order will be de-designated as communicated to affected property owners (details supplied) in which a period of over five years has elapsed since the publication of the long-term plan for Ireland’s peatlands on 14 January 2014 and de-designation is still awaited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24350/19]

Employment Rights

Willie Penrose

5. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of her plans to quantify and measure incidences of, and trends in, bogus self-employment; her plans to table new legislation to address the issue; if the proposed new legislation will be published in advance of the Dáil's summer recess; if her Department and other Departments and State agencies plan to bring forward specific proposals to address the problem of bogus self-employment in the construction sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22920/19]

Social Insurance Fund

Willie Penrose

14. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to outline the status of the proposed expansion of the net eligibility for those self-employed persons who account for 14% of workers; her views on whether self-employed persons should contribute more in view of the differential between the 4% self-employed rate and the combined 14.95% for PAYE employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22916/19]