Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Community Care Provision

Róisín Shortall

134. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale regarding his decision to introduce changes to the criteria and operation of the seniors alert scheme; the consultation, if any, that was conducted with groups administering the scheme before the decision was made to unilaterally impose these changes; the rationale behind the decision to introduce a blanket restriction on households with two persons in view of the fact that a significant number of persons referred to this service by a Health Service Executive primary care team or a social worker, are couples where one is a carer or both have a pre-existing health condition or are at risk of a fall; if any discretion will be allowed in such circumstances in view of the fact the cost of the scheme is so small and the equipment can make a significant impact on persons' lives. [2110/13]

Foster Care Provision

Róisín Shortall

192. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 118 of 6 December 2012, the rates for foster payments that will apply in 2013. [2185/13]

HSE Funding

Róisín Shortall

216. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an analysis of the opening deficit referred to in table 1 page 3 of the Health Service Executive National Service Plan 2013 by method of funding, that is overdraft, medium term bank debt, trade creditor and outstanding taxes; in relation to outstanding balance due to the Revenue Commissioners, if he will provide a time-based breakdown of the amounts outstanding to the Revenue Commissioners (details supplied). [2186/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

314. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a reader on behalf of a student (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who is due to sit the leaving certificate in June 2013. [1434/13]

School Transport Provision

Róisín Shortall

326. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional funding or a subsidy is available within the school transport scheme for a family (details supplied) who do not have the financial means to pay school transport costs; and if he will advise on the assistance available in this regard. [1620/13]

Tax Code

Róisín Shortall

407. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection further to newspaper reports (details supplied) the exemptions he intends to apply to the decision to impose PRSI on unearned income; and the estimated cost of these exemptions. [1872/13]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Róisín Shortall

482. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 and if she can expedite a decision on same. [1225/13]

Family Income Supplement Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

544. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which superannuation is defined when determining the net wage of a person applying for family income supplement and the way in which additional voluntary contributions to pension funds are treated as part of the assessment process, that is, are AVCs reckonable as a deductible expense in determining the net wage of the applicant; if the entitlement to various tax reliefs, is routinely crosschecked as part of the family income supplement application process as a means of limiting the total expenditure on this scheme; if not, the reason for same; and if the new local property tax will be a deductible expense for the purposes of determining the net wage of a family income supplement applicant. [1870/13]

Immigration Status

Róisín Shortall

780. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will examine a case (details supplied) in which a recent request was made for a replacement Garda National Immigration Bureau card following a robbery; if his Department will examine the possibility of a refund in this case in view of the fact that the stolen GNIB card was recovered days after a replacement card was purchased at much expense. [1254/13]

Medical Card Applications

Róisín Shortall

1105. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timescale envisaged for the publication of legislation to provide for the changes to eligibility criteria for medical card applicants who are over-seventy; the way it is proposed to discontinue medical card entitlement in respect of people who currently hold a medical card but who will exceed the guidelines when the legislation is commenced, and in particular those whose medical card was granted up to a specific period and is not due for renewal for a number of years [1814/13]

HSE Expenditure

Róisín Shortall

1106. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the projected accumulated savings for each month of 2013 for each of the savings measures identified under the total 2013 saving of €323 million for the primary care reimbursement service in the 2012 Health Service Executive service plan [1815/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

1113. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the new local property tax will be a deductible expense for the purposes of determining the net wage of a medical card applicant. [1871/13]

Mortgage Interest Relief Expenditure

Róisín Shortall

99. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance his estimate of the amount of tax forgone through the application of mortgage interest relief to landlords; if he will provide a breakdown of this amount between commercial and residential landlords and the number of people claiming relief in both cases; the number and value of cases where relief is being claimed for a property outside the Republic of Ireland; the number and value of new claims in the past three years for which figures are available with a breakdown by residential and commercial landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57696/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

273. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide clarity on the situation regarding the level of funding from the Health Service Executive that is provided in respect of a group (details supplied); if this funding is being withdrawn is it a national or local decision; if her attention has been drawn to only local support to non-regulated childminders is provided through the Health Service Executive funded Childminders' Advisory Worker Post; if she will clarify the bodies that will support this sector if HSE funding is discontinued. [57505/12]

Youth Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

274. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 961 of 6 November 2012, if she will detail the funding allocation for 2013 in respect of this front line youth service; the steps she is taking to safeguard the valuable work of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57681/12]

Child and Family Support Agency Remit

Róisín Shortall

275. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of psychologists regarding her proposals to move all child psychology services to the child and family support agency; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that most referrals to child psychology services come through primary care staff; if an impact analysis has been carried out to assess the consequences for children who require multi-disciplinary support such as is currently provided through the multi-disciplinary primary care team model [57698/12]

Primary Care Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

331. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans for the continuation of child psychology as a critical element of primary care services; if he will provide an assurance that the model of full multi-disciplinary teams including psychology will continue to be the model employed for primary care. [57697/12]

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Application Numbers

Róisín Shortall

125. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people awarded supplementary welfare allowance in the last period for which figures are available on the basis of a delay in the processing of a social welfare claim; the value of such payments; her estimate of the saving on supplementary welfare allowance if all social welfare schemes and the appeals office had an average processing time of three weeks or less; and the way she intends to achieve this saving. [57182/12]

Alcohol Pricing

Róisín Shortall

174. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for a delay in commissioning the health impact assessment for minimum pricing; the current status of the tender process; and the proposed timescale for the completion of this assessment. [57154/12]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments

Róisín Shortall

316. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the rate of domiciliary care allowance that will apply in 2013. [56282/12]

Social Insurance Payments

Róisín Shortall

326. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is the case that Class B, C and D PRSI contributions have retained their PRSI allowance despite budgetary changes to other classes; if so the basis for this; and the revenue that would accrue if the allowance were abolished for all employees. [56377/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

573. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the community childcare subvention programme in respect of an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 11; if she will consider an application to facilitate the early payment of the subvention from 1st February 2013, which would enable the opening of a much needed new baby and toddler unit. [56901/12]

Mobility Allowance Applications

Róisín Shortall

598. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the monthly rates for mobility allowance that will apply in 2013 [56281/12]

Departmental Funding

Róisín Shortall

599. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in detail the way it is intended to make a saving of €32 million in 2013 from other changes to primary care schemes as detailed in item C of his Department's section of the summary of measures in the Budget Expenditure Report 2013 with a breakdown of the intended saving for each measure under this heading [56283/12]

Social Insurance Yield

Róisín Shortall

104. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated yield for every 0.1 of a percent added to the rate of employee PRSI; and the rate increase required to provide for a yield of €265 million in 2013 and €289 million in a full year. [56167/12]

Student Grant Scheme Payments

Róisín Shortall

183. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 may expect a decision on an application for a student grant. [55369/12]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

265. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the specific criteria with regard to the progression rule in respect of assessing an application for back to education allowance; her views on the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; if there should be some leniency in respect of this application in view of the fact that this person does not hold a certificate or qualification in a previous field of study and who is currently unable to find employment in that field. [55583/12]

Legal Aid Application Numbers

Róisín Shortall

330. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if legal aid will be provided to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 and if he will expedite that matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55350/12]

Foster Care Provision

Róisín Shortall

118. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the rates that will apply for foster payments in 2013 [55013/12]

Medical Card Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

163. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the income guidelines that will apply to medical card applicants in 2013 [55012/12]

Medical Card Reviews

Róisín Shortall

107. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans regarding providing legislation to allow for comprehensive data sharing among State agencies to underpin the medical card self-assessment system in respect of the renewal of medical cards; the timescale he is working to for the passing and commencement of this legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54633/12]

Health Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

112. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 received a bill for legal fees; and if he will clarify the legitimacy of this charge. [54674/12]

General Medical Services Scheme Administration

Róisín Shortall

124. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason sodium chloride for infusion is not reimbursable under the GMS scheme in respect of patients in nursing homes who are not eating a normal diet. [54727/12]

Hospital Services

Róisín Shortall

135. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of bed days lost through delayed discharges in each hospital to date in 2012 [54814/12]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Róisín Shortall

551. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 560 of 16 October 2012, if she will outline the anticipated timeframe for the adoption process to reopen; and the criteria applied to applications. [54132/12]

Health Insurance Prices

Róisín Shortall

617. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the treatment of the Government health insurance levy when persons in financial difficulties either cancel or downgrade their policies; if there is a mechanism available to reclaim this levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54004/12]

Pyrite Panel Report Recommendations

Róisín Shortall

186. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he will take to assist businesses where it has been discovered that there is pyrite in their business premises; and in view of the threat which this causes to the viability of the business and the potential for significant job losses in some cases if he will outline the support that he will provide for business people in these circumstances. [53656/12]

Speech and Language Therapy

Róisín Shortall

261. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the numbers on waiting lists in respect of assessment and treatment for speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy with a breakdown by therapy and by duration on the waiting list and by area and by age category [53635/12]

Company Closures

Róisín Shortall

259. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the future of a company (details supplied) in Dublin 12, if all credit balances will be reimbursed to customers of this company. [52955/12]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Róisín Shortall

318. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite a higher education grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11, in view of the fact that this person was wrongly advised on a number of occasions to apply through the Student Universal Support Ireland system; the reason SUSI will not now communicate with the CDVEC to assist with the processing of this application at the earliest possible date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52938/12]

Education Welfare Service Provision

Róisín Shortall

604. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will report on the status of the document one child, one team, one plan; if he will arrange to make this document available on his Department's website and if he will outline his plans for each of the services covered by this document. [52597/12]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Róisín Shortall

642. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 will receive orthodontic treatment from the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52381/12]

Misuse of Drugs

Róisín Shortall

700. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 15 November 2012, if all public consultation has now been completed; if he has communicated the intended alterations to regulations under the Misuse of Drugs Act that are EU-relevant to the EU and if so, the date of same. [52928/12]

Prescriptions Data

Róisín Shortall

701. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the outcome of the Primary Care Reimbursement Service project to monitor the prescribing patterns of benzodiazepines; and if the prescribing patterns of psychiatric services and other institutions can now be included in this project. [52929/12]

Tax Rebates

Róisín Shortall

62. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding correspondence sent by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 to the Revenue Commissioners regarding an application for a refund of DIRT. [51757/12]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Róisín Shortall

132. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance will be assessed in respect of a person (details supplied) and if she will expedite a decision on same. [51761/12]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Róisín Shortall

133. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 will be assessed; and if she will expedite a decision on same [51779/12]

Local Drugs Task Forces Review Report

Róisín Shortall

565. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the report on the review of Drugs Task Forces will be published and implemented. [51685/12]

Mental Health Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

577. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the situation of a family who are concerned that their child (details supplied) has refused to receive any further medical treatment and is rapidly declining in health [50956/12]

Narcolepsy Issues

Róisín Shortall

600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the supports available to children who have contracted narcolepsy as a result of the Pandemrix vaccine for swine flu; the measures that will be undertaken in this regard; when the Memorandum for Government setting out the full response to this issue will be brought before Dáil Eireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51196/12]