Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

180. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average age of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of her Department on the State's payroll; the number of directors on the board of more than one such body; the number of women; and her plans to make savings from this area. [12555/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

181. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of her Department on the State's payroll; the total cost to the State from the payout to these non-executive directors including fees, travel and other expenditure; her plans to reduce the number of these chairpersons or directors. [12605/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

194. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the average age of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department, on the State's payroll; the number of directors on the board of more than one such body; the number of women; and his plans to make savings from this area. [12556/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

195. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the total number of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department on the State's payroll; the total cost to the State from the pay-out to these non-executive directors including fees, travel and other expenditure; his plans to reduce the number of these chairpersons or directors. [12606/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

199. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the average age of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department on the State's payroll; the number of directors on the board of more than one such body; the number of women; and his plans to make savings from this area. [12553/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

200. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the total number of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of Semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department on the State's payroll; the total cost to the State from the pay-out to these non-executive directors including fees, travel and other expenditure; and his plans to reduce the number of these chairpersons or directors. [12603/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

210. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the average age of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of her Department, on the State's payroll; the number of directors on the board of more than one such body; the number of women; and her plans to make savings from this area. [12551/15]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

211. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total number of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of her Department on the State's payroll; the total cost to the State from the payout to these non-executive directors, including fees, travel expenses and other expenditure; and her plans to reduce the number of these chairpersons or directors. [12601/15]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Shane Ross

283. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce tax incentives for those wishing to downsize their family home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11929/15]

Proposed Legislation

Shane Ross

694. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health his legislative plans to change the current practice to an opt-out consent as per the Government's consultative process for organ donation; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11928/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Shane Ross

695. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 471 of 3 February 2015, in relation to a person (details supplied), if a deduction of €31 per week under the nursing home support scheme, as per allowable deductions regulations 2014, adequately reflects the cost of maintaining a child; his views on the inherent unfairness, discriminatory nature and unsustainability of the scheme in allowing a deduction for the cost of maintaining a child only where a court order is in place, thus effectively encouraging the dissolution of the family unit in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11930/15]

Building Regulations

Shane Ross

908. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the proposed review of the building standards regulations Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, SI 9 of 2014, will take place; with particular emphasis on whether the need for a B(C)AR certifier will continue under the reviewed regulations; his views on the heavy costs associated with the B(C)AR certifier, especially for those who own small private properties (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11927/15]

Legal Costs

Shane Ross

303. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount in legal fees paid by the Road Safety Authority to solicitors' firms each year from 2009 to 2014; the amount paid to each firm in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10998/15]

Sale of Aer Lingus

Shane Ross

116. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider making it a precondition of any sale of the Government's stake in Aer Lingus that the longer service Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme deferred pensioners be compensated in proportion to the compensation given to the current employees of the Dublin Airport Authority and Aer Lingus; and if he will further consider making available the required sums to compensate the deferred pensioners out of the proceeds of the sale of the Government's stake in the airline or, failing that, out of general Exchequer funds. [10012/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Shane Ross

374. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has failed or refused to engage in an independent assessment of need for all persons supported by Camphill Communities of Ireland, linked to its value for money report; if the executive is considering increasing the sleepover rates for Camphill Communities of Ireland in line with the Labour Court ruling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9962/15]

Child Care Costs

Shane Ross

357. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the current cost of child care for families where both parents are working; his views on child care costs becoming tax deductible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7714/15]

Library Services

Shane Ross

575. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his plans to open public libraries on Sundays in advance of State examinations; his views on whether it is appropriate that despite the €36.6 million spent building the new Dún Laoghaire library, it is closed every Sunday and, therefore, unavailable to the local residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7889/15]

Garda Station Closures

Shane Ross

3. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to improve policing in the Stepaside area in County Dublin; if her attention has been drawn to the spike in burglaries in the area since the closure of the Garda station there; if she will provide figures for crime in the area since the station closed; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that, since the station closed, residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of the station have been targeted by criminals; if her attention has been further drawn to the number of arrests and convictions secured for such crimes; if she will reconsider the re-opening of the station, in view of the sense of insecurity felt by residents of the neighbourhood, since it closed; her plans to carry out a review of the Government's disastrous decision to close many Garda stations nationwide, in particular, the mistaken decision to close the station in Stepaside; and if she will highlight the successes achieved in catching criminals in the area, since the closure of this station. [7330/15]

Long-Term Illness Scheme

Shane Ross

153. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a charge, per item, for holders of the long-term illness card; his views on the potential negative impact of the charge on the health of the card holders, with a consequential increased cost in hospital fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7578/15]

School Enrolments

Shane Ross

453. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the 192 applications received, for an intake of 56 infant children, in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 14, for September 2015, thus denying children access to their local school; her Department's efforts to alleviate the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6917/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Shane Ross

471. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 89 of 15 October 2014, his views on the allowable deductions under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Allowable Deductions) Regulations 2014, with particular reference to the €31 per week deduction for a couple with a child; his further views on whether that adequately reflects the cost of maintaining a child, that any deduction of a greater amount reflecting the real cost of maintaining a dependent child is permitted by the regulations only where payments are made in that regard under a separation agreement or pursuant to a court order; that the regulations in this respect are unfair, discriminate against a child being cared for within the family and are unsustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4822/15]

Ministerial Pensions

Shane Ross

225. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if changes have been made since 2013 or are planned to be made to the pensions of Ministers, Ministers of State and officeholders in the Houses of the Oireachtas and the pensions of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas; if so, the changes or proposed changes and the potential cost to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3392/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Shane Ross

358. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been left waiting for in excess of three months for a space in the National Rehabilitation Hospital; if he will arrange to have this matter reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3497/15]

Hospital Services

Shane Ross

359. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of occupational therapists in Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, County Offaly resulting in a person (details provided) receiving only 20 minutes of occupational therapy a day despite suffering a serious spinal and brain injury three months ago; if he will arrange to have the matter reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3498/15]

Semi-State Bodies

Shane Ross

231. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total amount spent on the process of changing the name of Bord Gáis Éireann; the reason for the name change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2953/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Shane Ross

168. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the planned Educate Together school in an area (details supplied) in County Dublin; when construction will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46619/14]

Consumer Protection

Shane Ross

209. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to regulate the sale of gift vouchers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43739/14]

Legislative Programme

Shane Ross

295. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the children and family relationships Bill; when it is expected to come before Dáil Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44106/14]

Departmental Bodies Data

Shane Ross

3. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current net quango count under this Administration; the numbers compared to the previous Government and the net saving to the State, specifically in view of the Government's commitment to quango reform; the number of reductions in quangos due to merger or abolition and the number of newly created State agencies and semi-State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42427/14]

Public Service Reform Plan Measures

Shane Ross

76. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the meaning of his statement in the budget speech that Departments and agencies will now be able to manage their own staffing levels; if this means that they may employ staff at any level they require; that promotions will be on merit, that Departments will be able to create new posts without supervision or approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42428/14]

Universal Social Charge Payments

Shane Ross

58. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Finance the reason the self-employed are paying 3% more universal social charge on earnings over €100,000 than a PAYE worker; if he accepts that this makes self-employment much more difficult; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42288/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Shane Ross

162. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; the barrier to the new school being built; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40492/14]

Superannuation Schemes

Shane Ross

224. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the issue of Aer Lingus deferred pensions; if he plans to sign the ministerial orders which have been recently enacted in the State Airports (Shannon Airport) Act 2014 despite the detrimental effect it could have on deferred members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40572/14]

Tax Code

Shane Ross

207. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Finance the reason professional band musicians have to pay such a large proportion of their relatively small earnings on income tax and VAT; and the reason the VAT threshold is set at €37,500 when in the United Kingdom that VAT threshold is equal to €103,000. [39776/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

Shane Ross

89. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health the position regarding persons (details supplied) who are not receiving an adequate financial contribution to nursing care for a parent as well as adequate support for a dependent child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39502/14]

Election Management System

Shane Ross

222. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a schedule of fees and expenses paid to all returning officers for the 2014 local elections; and if these fees are liable to taxation. [38413/14]

Private Security Authority Remit

Shane Ross

291. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to implement licensing for private investigators in view of the fact that the legislation currently refers to the area in very limited terms and effectively allows for anyone to advertise their services as a private investigator, potentially putting a client or a case at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36889/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Shane Ross

3. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of appointments he has made to State boards and State agencies since his appointment; the number who have gone through an interview process; the number who have been involved in an open competition for the positions; the number of appointments that have been publicly advertised; the gross cumulative value of the fees; and the average annual fee and ratio of males to females. [30332/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Shane Ross

86. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of nominees to State boards that have been appointed from overseas as envisaged at the Global Irish Economic Forum. [30333/14]

Insurance Costs

Shane Ross

192. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene in the impending issue affecting the health care system, namely, the fact that the Medical Protection Society have recently announced a 90% increase in subscription rates across all specialties; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this will render a significant number of practices sustainable and possibly result in many consultants leaving the independent sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28784/14]

Crime Data

Shane Ross

387. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of burglaries in the Stepaside, County Dublin area since the closure of the Garda station; the number of prosecutions following these burglaries; and the number of convictions. [27949/14]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Shane Ross

45. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps taken to recruit companies in new sectors to implement apprenticeship programmes, aside from JobBridge, bearing in mind that the review of apprenticeship training in Ireland, published on 21 January 2014, presented evidence showing countries with high quality apprenticeship programmes have great success in promoting quality employment for young persons, following on from this and, in particular, taking into consideration the exceptionally high youth unemployment rates here, the review recommended an expansion of apprenticeships to new business and industrial sectors. [23645/14]

Adoption Legislation

Shane Ross

100. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason he has not yet addressed the anomaly with respect to adoption by step-parents, including the requirement, as part of step-parent adoption, for a natural parent to adopt their own child and the creation of a new birth certificate recognising the newly-adoptive parents and possibly removing the recognition of a birth parent. [21149/14]

Adoption Legislation

Shane Ross

102. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he will take action with regard to addressing the issue of step-parent adoption (details supplied). [21150/14]

Adoption Services Provision

Shane Ross

110. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will address the fact that delays in processing adoptions here means that children placed for adoption with Irish families are now less likely to be babies and consequently, these older children often have particular health and medical needs. [20869/14]

Adoption Data

Shane Ross

112. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of domestic infant adoptions that took place here in 2012 and 2013. [20870/14]

Adoption Legislation

Shane Ross

118. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the changes that have been made to adoption legislation during the course of this Government’s lifespan. [20868/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Shane Ross

127. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the Irish-Russian bilateral agreement on inter-country adoption. [20872/14]

Motor Insurance Regulation

Shane Ross

169. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Finance his plans to protect policy holders with the now collapsed Setanta Insurance; the way he will ensure the smooth transition for all the innocent policy holders to another insurer or assist in brokering the deal for another insurer to take over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20952/14]

Schools Establishment

Shane Ross

187. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider Kilternan, County Dublin as a greenfield site for the building of a new secondary school based on its expanding population and potential to serve the wider localities of Dundrum-Ballinteer, Leopardstown-Foxrock, Enniskerry and the local community of Sandyford-Glencullen-Kilternan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16122/14]