Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Grant Aid

Willie Penrose

298. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if there is grant aid available for persons wishing to construct a granny flat at their residence which would enable a young couple to reside in the existing dwelling house and the elderly parents to reside in a new granny flat (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49443/19]

Guardian's Payment Applications

Willie Penrose

499. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she will take to expedite an application for a guardianship payment by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49077/19]

Hospital Appointments Delays

Willie Penrose

152. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if he will take steps to ensure that a person (details supplied) is admitted for an appointment with the consultant rheumatologist at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48412/19]

Afforestation Programme

Willie Penrose

184. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the factors taken into account by his Department when giving technical approval for an afforestation licence; the evaluation process used in respect of such an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48517/19]

Pharmacy Services

Willie Penrose

192. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health the rationale for the decision of his Department to propose significant cuts to pharmacy fees from January 2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48001/19]

Carer's Allowance Eligibility

Willie Penrose

321. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will take steps to ensure that a carer’s allowance is restored to a person (details supplied); if same will now be addressed without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48006/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

81. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve pay and conditions of school secretaries funded through the ancillary services grant system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47489/19]

EU Regulations

Willie Penrose

504. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to ensure an application for recognition by an organisation (details supplied) pursuant to Article 14 and 16 of Regulations (EU) No. 1379/2013 is reviewed on the basis that its rejection was based solely on the fact that it failed to meet the mandatory criteria enforced at the moment; the steps he will take to ensure that the organisation is recognised as a producer organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47861/19]

Consumer Rights

Willie Penrose

54. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a report by an organisation (details supplied) which states that moving to a cashless society mainly benefits banks and card issuers and will lead to financial and social exclusion; his plans to ensure consumers have a continued non-discriminatory right to use cash; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46553/19]

Defence Forces Allowances

Willie Penrose

93. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the estimated full-year cost if the explosive ordnance disposal duty allowance was increased by a further 20% based on 2018 figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46704/19]

Tax Data

Willie Penrose

136. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year cost if the income tax standard rate of €35,300 was increased to €36,350 for a single person and from €44,300 to €45,850 for a married one-earner couple; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46706/19]

Ministerial Meetings

Willie Penrose

137. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance the bilateral meetings he has had with his EU counterparts to date in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46707/19]

Proposed Legislation

Willie Penrose

277. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the explosives Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46702/19]

State Bodies Data

Willie Penrose

494. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of positions on each board in respect of agencies, including commercial State agencies, under his remit in tabular form; the quorum required for a board meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46705/19]

Departmental Staff Data

Willie Penrose

599. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of additional staff appointed in her Department and agencies under her remit in 2019; the estimated cost of hiring the additional staff, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46701/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

77. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 26 September 2019, the steps being taken to ensure that the appropriate wage structure of €13 per hour is paid out by the schools in respect of caretakers employed by voluntary secondary schools and whose wages are funded by way of capital grants paid to the school; when the new agreement that will replace the current arbitration agreement, which expires on 31 December 2019, will come into force; the sanctions available to caretakers if the schools employing them have failed to implement the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45889/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

78. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the 10% increase that was recommended by the arbitrator for the payment of caretakers by voluntary schools between 2016 and 2019 was implemented; if caretakers that did not receive the graduated increase between the years are now entitled to arrears and backdating of their pay to cover the period between 2016 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45890/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

79. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an assessment of the conditions of caretakers in secondary schools will be carried out to ensure that the disadvantages that they have sustained over a number of years will be remedied and that the appropriate work and conditions applicable to all employees nationwide, such as entitlement to overtime or other such benefits are catered for in new agreements that will be reached; if the direct employment of caretakers in schools will be considered rather than leaving the issue of remuneration such employees directly to the schools themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45891/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

80. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount made available to pay caretakers in the respect of the scheme introduced in 2009, which provided extensive capitation grants to voluntary schools to employ caretakers and came into being following the withdrawal of the original employment scheme in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45892/19]

School Services Staff

Willie Penrose

81. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of voluntary secondary schools and private schools that receive assistance by way of capitation grant to provide for secretarial caretaking services; the system used to allocate to each school the particular amount to enable them to meet their particular needs in these areas; the supervision in place to ensure that persons employed in roles such as caretaking are paid the appropriate rate and have the relevant employment conditions appropriately applied in each situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45893/19]