Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

State Examinations Appeals

Olivia Mitchell

192. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the recourse that is open in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16, who was unsuccessful in an appeal for an examination reader for the leaving certificate examination, but who has an ongoing medical need for such examination support. [18970/15]

Commercial Rates Valuation Process

Olivia Mitchell

299. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of representations from a company (details supplied) in County Cork, his plans to allow for a revaluation of commercial property rates in the council areas of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18443/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Olivia Mitchell

46. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the current number of claimants and jobs supported under the JobsPlus scheme; and the associated cost. [18056/15]

School Enrolments

Olivia Mitchell

186. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is an impact on funding and the number of teachers allocated to a school by admitting a child that has not reached 12 years of age by 1 January of the enrolment year; and, if funding implications do exist, whether exceptions can be made. [17968/15]

Adoption Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

273. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are any constitutional or other barriers to allowing parents who fostered children, but could not adopt them at the time due to lack of consent on behalf of a birth parent, to adopt said foster children now that they are consenting adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17600/15]

School Accommodation Provision

Olivia Mitchell

490. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that the additional costly pipe work requirements will be funded in addition to the standard grant already approved for two classrooms and three learning support rooms in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 16. [17595/15]

Public Sector Pensions

Olivia Mitchell

92. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a change to the payment system for public sector pensions is being considered; if so, the measures that are being proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17111/15]

Minor Works Scheme Applications

Olivia Mitchell

128. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when work will commence on the security upgrade of the building and site at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 14, in view of health and safety concerns which have been acknowledged by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15843/15]

International Terrorism

Olivia Mitchell

567. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures the Foreign Affairs Council has agreed to combat terrorism outside the European Union's borders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15796/15]

International Terrorism

Olivia Mitchell

568. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the Justice and Home Affairs Council co-ordinates policy on terrorism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15797/15]

EU Issues

Olivia Mitchell

569. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline Ireland's approach to the eastern neighbourhood, and if this has changed following developments in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15798/15]

United Nations

Olivia Mitchell

570. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what Ireland's policy priorities are in its engagement with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15799/15]

School Patronage

Olivia Mitchell

223. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the patronage determination process will commence for the new primary school in the Goatstown-Stillorgan area of County Dublin; the timeframe for this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12432/15]

Immigration Controls

Olivia Mitchell

471. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service plans to introduce an online booking system for appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11562/15]

Back to Education Allowance

Olivia Mitchell

795. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to extend the maintenance grant to students in receipt of the back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11675/15]

Employment Support Services

Olivia Mitchell

186. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the submission she has received from the Irish Association of Supported Employment; if she is in a position to respond favourably to a new funding arrangement based on an annual service agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10534/15]

Public Sector Staff Sick Leave

Olivia Mitchell

234. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the sick leave policy introduced for the public sector in March 2014, and for the education sector in September 2014, was backdated for four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10004/15]

Immigration Policy

Olivia Mitchell

323. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 11 December 2014, when the introduction of online booking appointments for re-entry visas is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10253/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Olivia Mitchell

415. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the waiting time to be seen at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin 2 for cataract removal is 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10296/15]

Departmental Staff Sick Leave

Olivia Mitchell

261. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way persons with a critical illness can avail of sick leave, if they have used up all of their sick leave entitlement in one year, but still need to access sick leave, to continue with their treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7994/15]

Departmental Staff Sick Leave

Olivia Mitchell

262. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way persons who return to work after a critical illness can avail of sick leave, if they have used up all of their sick leave entitlement in one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7995/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Olivia Mitchell

564. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the new housing assistance payment is expected to be introduced in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council area in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8057/15]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Olivia Mitchell

189. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a date for an oral hearing to hear an appeal on a disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18 will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6803/15]

School Enrolments

Olivia Mitchell

469. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 16; her views on these concerns, in respect of the admissions policy for the new secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7087/15]

Property Tax Administration

Olivia Mitchell

479. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the local property tax allocation to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; the amount by which this sum exceeds the general purposes grant of 2014; the amount of that excess which can be used for discretionary purposes; the amount which is to be allocated from the excess to the housing and road areas in order to release central Government funding for other purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6994/15]

Pensions Council

Olivia Mitchell

194. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the newly established Pensions Council will be monitoring the implementation of the recommendations in the report on pension charges 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5971/15]

School Accommodation

Olivia Mitchell

515. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the gross under provision of primary school places in the Goatstown area, Dublin 14, where the local schools application for September 2015 is four times the potential intake; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5788/15]

Schools Designation

Olivia Mitchell

533. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will respond positively to correspondence from eight schools (details supplied) who seek to have the catchment area for the new Educate Together secondary school expanded to reflect the coherence of the area between the county boundary and the motorway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5942/15]

Property Tax Yield

Olivia Mitchell

561. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the restrictions in terms of categories of spending by local authorities, that have been applied to moneys raised from local property tax; the minimum or maximum spending caps that have been applied to the various spending categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5542/15]

Pension Provisions

Olivia Mitchell

172. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 201 of 17 September 2014, if the review of personal pension vehicles has taken place; if the issue of extending the approved retirement fund options to holders of buy-out bonds derived from defined benefit schemes has been examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3477/15]

Company Registration

Olivia Mitchell

235. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will request of the Companies Registration Office to remove the inappropriate job description, "married woman", from the list of occupations on the online form when registering online as a director of a company or charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3476/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

431. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the progress of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 18 which is planned to progress to construction in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3390/15]

School Enrolments

Olivia Mitchell

453. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that offers of places in the only new autism spectrum disorder classes in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, County Dublin, are being restricted due to the school’s sibling and religious entry criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3493/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Olivia Mitchell

454. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being made to increase the number of autism spectrum disorder places in mainstream secondary schools in south Dublin in view of the disparity between the number of places available at primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3494/15]

Voluntary Sector

Olivia Mitchell

607. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a request to meet with the national executive group of Volunteer Ireland and the volunteer centres. [48066/14]

Immigration Policy

Olivia Mitchell

122. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if separate Garda National Immigration Bureau arrangements will be made for employed tax paying persons, many of whom are here as the result of Industrial Development Agency incentives and who currently are often forced to take several days off work to queue for renewal in view of limited number of renewals dispensed each day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47580/14]

Organ Donation

Olivia Mitchell

342. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a national organ donor registry; his plans to increase the level of organ donation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47192/14]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Olivia Mitchell

159. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if a person who is 64 and has already received nine months of jobseeker's benefit having been made redundant can still claim jobseeker's benefit when they turn 65 until they turn 66 and are eligible for the State contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44935/14]

International Sanctions Application

Olivia Mitchell

277. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will respond positively to the request of those representing a person (details supplied) in Switzerland to end the long term freeze of their assets in view of the current sanctions against the Russian Government who requested that freeze; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45051/14]

Hospital Facilities

Olivia Mitchell

325. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health his plans to bring the 65 beds in the older wards of Leopardstown Park hospital up to Health Information and Quality Authority standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44916/14]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Olivia Mitchell

156. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a site has been identified for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and when construction will begin. [44454/14]

Tax Code

Olivia Mitchell

172. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the impact on single, employed PAYE earners on annual incomes of €15,000, €20,000, €25,000, €30,000, €40,000, €60,000, €100,000, €120,000, €150, 000 and €200,000 owing to the income tax and universal social charge changes in 2015 compared to 2014; if he will provide these figures in both cash terms and as a proportion of gross income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44056/14]

Consumer Protection

Olivia Mitchell

216. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in view of the large number of gift vouchers which will be purchased in the coming weeks prior to Christmas and in view of the large number of these that will lapse prior to being redeemed, if it is possible to legislate to ensure that such gift vouchers remain valid for as long as the provider remains in business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44229/14]

Legislative Programme

Olivia Mitchell

297. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to pass into law the children and family relationships Bill before the proposed referendum on civil marriage for same-sex couples; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44128/14]

Tax Credits

Olivia Mitchell

58. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to the unfair treatment of the secondary carer, who is the sole financial supporter of the primary carer and their children, being unable to receive the single person child carer credit when the primary carer is not in employment but simply refuses to relinquish the credit to the secondary carer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43430/14]

Medical Card Eligibility

Olivia Mitchell

389. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the way the income assessment for medical cards is calculated; if the weekly income is calculated by dividing the monthly income by four; his views on whether this leads to a miscalculation over the course of the year as this method of calculation would lead to 48 weeks in the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43072/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Olivia Mitchell

743. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the growing waiting lists for the allocation of funding for the fair deal scheme and the financial hardship it is causing families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41811/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Olivia Mitchell

875. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Trinity College, Dublin is extending four-year degree courses to five years, describing the last year as a postgraduate year even though said year is necessary for accreditation with professional bodies; if the Student Universal Support Ireland grant will take this change into consideration and allow students currently studying these courses to continue to receive a grant for their fifth year of study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41368/14]

Tax Rebates

Olivia Mitchell

66. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if the DIRT refund for first-time buyers is restricted to DIRT paid post 14 October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40561/14]

Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare

Olivia Mitchell

6. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has concluded its reflection on the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare and the findings of the 2010 actuarial review regarding extending social insurance for the self-employed now that our budgetary and fiscal situation has improved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39385/14]