Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Overseas Development Aid

Bobby Aylward

12. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to reach the 0.7% ODA-GNI investment commitment with respect to the overseas development aid budget in advance of budget 2020, as set out in the international development policy of Ireland in order to achieve sustainable development goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41128/19]

School Transport Review

Bobby Aylward

115. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to review the workings of the school transport system, in particular the system for the allocation of concessionary tickets; his plans to seek funding in budget 2020 to restore general scheme parameters with a particular focus on rule determining eligibility to the pre-2011 system; if he will investigate the possibility of amending the current eligibility criteria (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41032/19]

Teacher Supply

Bobby Aylward

127. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide extra support for teaching principals in primary schools in view of the increase in responsibilities, reports and paperwork that must be handled by teaching principals to date and the long hours involved in dealing with this work; the position regarding the possibility of allocating one release day per week to teaching principals; if he has investigated the possibility of creating a national cluster of panels to cover this release time, to ensure consistency of curriculum delivery and safeguard the educational experiences and outcomes of pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41131/19]

Home Care Packages Funding

Bobby Aylward

271. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding certainty of sufficient funding for supported care homes to enable the continuation of the provision of cost efficient care for residents; if he will consider a 50% increase of current funding levels for supported care homes in advance of budget 2020 to meet urgent needs such as annually increasing energy costs, depreciation costs which have never previously been covered (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40841/19]

Home Care Packages Funding

Bobby Aylward

272. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health his views on the significant savings supported care homes contribute to the State and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection through non-payment of fuel and living alone allowances and household benefits package and the provision of cost effective care; his views on the inspection of supported care homes in accordance with standards suitable to the homes and the possible establishment of a group consisting of HIQA, representatives of the supported care homes and the HSE with the purpose of constructing suitable inspection guidelines within the next six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40842/19]

Home Help Service

Bobby Aylward

277. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding cuts to the rostered hours of home help sector workers within the Health Service Executive CHO Area 5; the position regarding deficits which may occur between the 39 hours contracted and the eventual hours allotted and rostered; the protocol in place by which such shortfalls of hours are monitored and analysed and the utilisation of private operators in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40897/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Review

Bobby Aylward

303. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if the review of the pricing system for long-term residential care facilities, as recommended in the review of the fair deal scheme, will be published; if an independent appeals mechanism within the fair deal scheme to provide third party recourse for nursing home providers that fail to agree a fee with the NTPF and in an effort to bring greater transparency to the fair deal pricing mechanism will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41037/19]

Haulage Industry

Bobby Aylward

410. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the challenging operating environment the haulage sector faces, in particular the unprecedented challenges posed by Brexit; the steps he has taken to protect the industry from daily fuel increases (details supplied); the steps he will take to ensure fuel costs for HGVs do not increase significantly as a result of measures implemented through budget 2020; his plans to recalibrate the diesel rebate scheme in order to track the variations in fuel more accurately in line with rebate levels operated in similar schemes elsewhere in Europe; if an additional carbon tax or increase in diesel excise is introduced in budget 2020, if an additional amount will be rebated to the licensed haulage sector through the diesel rebate scheme in addition to the proposed recalibration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41033/19]

Youth Services

Bobby Aylward

439. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will investigate the possibility of increasing investment in youth work in advance of budget 2020 to enable youth organisations to deliver enhanced youth work services to support young persons in County Kilkenny; if she will consider increasing the 2% allocation of overall funding within her Department to support youth work services through budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41129/19]

Youth Services

Bobby Aylward

440. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will consider increasing the funding allocation to the youth service grant scheme which supports 30 voluntary youth organisations to deliver mainstream youth work and to support local youth groups, branches and units through Budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41130/19]

Invalidity Pension Reviews

Bobby Aylward

475. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the delays issuing a decision on the review of an invalidity pension application by a person (details supplied) which commenced over two months ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40911/19]

Hospital Services

Bobby Aylward

153. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to identify and implement a direct pathway to high-level care for women and their families that suffered significant side effects and have been severely disaffected by the transvaginal mesh implant devices they received within the healthcare system since the numerous meetings he has facilitated with members of a group (details supplied) and others over the past year and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40220/19]

Hospital Services

Bobby Aylward

154. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the transvaginal mesh implant devices procedure in view of the number of affected women; if his attention has been drawn to the risks associated with this procedure and the need for a State apology and possible compensation to be awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40221/19]

Energy Efficiency

Bobby Aylward

285. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding funding streams which are available to gym owners and fitness entrepreneurs to assist with the significant costs associated with purchasing self-power generating treadmills and exercise bikes thus ensuring the business has a higher degree of energy self-sufficiency and incentivises companies to be more green conscious, energy efficient and environmentally aware; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40261/19]

Medicinal Products

Bobby Aylward

398. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the weighting percentages to be used as part of the upcoming HSE FreeStyle Libre Group review decision making process that will be given to criteria (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39740/19]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Bobby Aylward

399. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if the reimbursement dataset will specifically cover only current HSE funded users of the FreeStyle Libre device; if not, if the Health Technology Assessment Group review will compare total blood glucose strip usage spend year on year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39741/19]

Community Services Programme Funding

Bobby Aylward

588. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider the provision of €10,000 funding in order to save crucial community services (details supplied) including rehabilitation training and development opportunities for persons that are in recovery from drug and alcohol misuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39373/19]

Insurance Costs

Bobby Aylward

30. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance the measures taken to meet and engage with insurance companies regarding excessive premiums being charged to consumers, particularly in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38814/19]

Carer's Allowance Review

Bobby Aylward

17. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if increasing the financial thresholds for carer’s allowance will be investigated; if the introduction of discretionary assessments in cases of extreme extenuating circumstances similar to the discretionary system utilised in the medical card application process will be investigated; the position regarding the measures taken to reduce the waiting times for decisions on applications for carer’s allowance and other payments across the social welfare spectrum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38807/19]

Defence Forces Remuneration

Bobby Aylward

9. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to ensure improved pay and working conditions for members of the Defence Forces; the steps being taken to ensure appropriate supports are available to both current and former members of the Defence Forces who may be experiencing financial difficulties; if he is satisfied that recruitment methods are sufficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38550/19]

Diplomatic Representation

Bobby Aylward

70. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to deploy additional staff to the embassy in New Zealand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38390/19]

School Transport

Bobby Aylward

189. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of utilising the recently announced €1 million funding for school transport to provide additional bus capacity for approximately 11 concessionary children (details supplied) in Knockmoylan and Ballyhale, County Kilkenny, who have been left without a seat will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38809/19]

School Transport

Bobby Aylward

190. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of utilising the recently announced €1 million funding for school transport to provide additional bus capacity for approximately 12 concessionary children (details supplied) in Mullinavat, County Kilkenny, who have been left without a seat will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38810/19]

School Transport

Bobby Aylward

191. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of utilising the recently announced €1 million funding for school transport to provide additional bus capacity for approximately seven concessionary children (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38811/19]

School Transport

Bobby Aylward

192. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of utilising the recently announced €1 million funding for school transport to provide additional bus capacity for approximately 13 concessionary children (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38812/19]

Ministerial Meetings

Bobby Aylward

213. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of meetings he has engaged with the CEO and-or equivalent of each State agency under his remit to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38388/19]

Garda Data

Bobby Aylward

214. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda public service vehicle inspectors assigned to each Garda division at 9 September 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38389/19]

Legislative Reviews

Bobby Aylward

218. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the review of the Defamation Act 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38464/19]

Trade Missions

Bobby Aylward

231. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to travel on a trade mission to Spain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38387/19]

Alternative Energy Projects

Bobby Aylward

382. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding funding streams to subsidise, promote and implement storage energy units, which harness the power of solar and wind energy, within the Irish agribusiness sector; the position regarding the provision of grant funding for farmers for initial purchase of such self-sufficient renewable storage energy units for the purpose of promoting and implementing energy self-sufficiency for agribusinesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38521/19]

Horse Racing Industry Funding

Bobby Aylward

170. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will request an additional €5 million for the sport horse industry (details supplied) via Horse Sport Ireland to be invested throughout the industry for the purpose of job creation, increasing exports and to ensure the industry can reach its true potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37825/19]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Bobby Aylward

280. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding SUSI’s special rate of maintenance and the cutting of same upon the death of a person within the household in receipt of a qualifying long-term social welfare payment; the steps he will take to ensure that students in such a situation do not suffer a significant reduction in their maintenance payment; if the issue will be addressed in a budgetary context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35089/19]

School Accommodation Provision

Bobby Aylward

517. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application by a school (details supplied) for capital funding to replace an undersized classroom and old prefabricated unit; if he will consider this application as a matter of urgency in view of poor conditions being endured by teachers and pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36936/19]

Primary Medical Certificates Applications

Bobby Aylward

149. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider reviewing the application process and qualifying criteria for the primary medical certificate as per recommendation of the Ombudsman (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33890/19]

Credit Unions

Bobby Aylward

200. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Finance his policy on the financial industry funding levy; his views on the potential negative impact on the credit union sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33067/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts

Bobby Aylward

329. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an appropriate level of consultation with SNA workers and a union (details supplies) prior to the implementation of 13 recommendations made in respect of SNAs by the National Council of Special Education following review in 2018; his views on the concerns expressed by many SNAs that aspects of the recommendations conflict with the SNA standard contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33920/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Bobby Aylward

330. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to ensure job security for SNAs upon the conclusion of the academic year; if the possibility of reviewing the panel system will be investigated which is in place to ensure that SNAs have appropriate employment opportunities and are treated fairly upon conclusion of the academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33921/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Bobby Aylward

331. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to ensure the usage of the reconfigured 12 days, 72 hours, are utilised appropriately and SNAs are not subjected to misuse or abuse under the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33922/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts

Bobby Aylward

332. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the entitlement of special needs assistants, SNAs, to breastfeeding breaks and annual leave for the graduation days of children; if the possibility of reviewing the entitlement of SNAs to bereavement, assault and health and safety leave will be considered in order to ensure their needs are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33923/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Bobby Aylward

333. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to ensure that SNAs are not experiencing a reduction in hours; the further steps he has taken to ensure that SNAs are not forced to endure additional pressure in the work environment when catering for children with complex needs due to perceived inadequate levels of SNA staffing in schools and special schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33924/19]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Bobby Aylward

533. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of changing the eligibility rules which determine whether or not an applicant can be assessed as dependent or independent will be investigated to ensure that a change in circumstances of a person can be appropriately considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33278/19]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Bobby Aylward

534. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of raising the financial thresholds for SUSI applicants will be investigated in view of the increases in the costs of living since the current grant system was launched in 2012 with a view to implementing same in the context of budget 2020; if increasing the sum of money paid to successful SUSI applicants through the maintenance grant will be examined in view of the increases in the cost of living for students with a view to implementing same in the context of Budget 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33279/19]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Bobby Aylward

535. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of introducing an exemption for money earned by SUSI applicants through summer or part-time work earnings from the household reckonable income financial assessment will be investigated; the steps he will take to ensure that students are not penalised for earning pocket money through summer jobs or part-time work by being excluded from SUSI due to the increase in means which comes from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33280/19]

Third Level Funding

Bobby Aylward

536. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to implement the recommendations made in the Cassells report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33281/19]

School Transport Eligibility

Bobby Aylward

628. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to review the workings of the school transport system in particular the system for the allocation of concessionary tickets; his plans to seek funding through budget 2020 in order to restore general scheme parameters with a particular focus on rules determining eligibility to the pre-2011 system; if the possibility of amending the current eligibility criteria (details supplied) will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34473/19]

Industrial Disputes

Bobby Aylward

1529. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure the HSE engages in talks with an association (details supplied) with a view to resolving the dispute which is affecting front-line ambulance personnel and members of the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33277/19]

Primary Care Services Provision

Bobby Aylward

1740. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the possibility of a roll-out of a scheme (details supplied); if he will further investigate the possibility of a roll-out of a national scheme which would allow children up to 16 years of age who do not require surgical or medical management to be examined in the community by optometrists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33895/19]

Health Services Funding

Bobby Aylward

1980. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if appropriate funding will be sought in budget 2020 for the provision of community supports and home care for persons living with dementia following a call by an organisation (details supplied) for investment of €18 million to be put directly into such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34474/19]

Food Safety Standards

Bobby Aylward

2086. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding risk management proposals being put forward by his Department for agreed polymerase chain reaction screening of random samples of raw milk with reference to test method and recommendations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33876/19]

Student Accommodation

Bobby Aylward

202. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed student accommodation and new build application is in line with a request from a school (details supplied) will be reviewed in order to allow for a significant increase in student population and increased accommodation requirements into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30359/19]