Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Illness Benefit

Richard Bruton

168. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the short-term illness benefit can be claimed by the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29179/20]

Working Family Payment

Richard Bruton

169. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the higher rate of child dependent allowance for children of 12 years of age and over will be reflected in the rates for the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29180/20]

Back to Education Allowance

Richard Bruton

170. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the back to education allowance can be claimed without a waiting time for all traditional welfare payments and for the pandemic unemployment payment; and if the exact relaxation in rules which have been permitted relating to duration on welfare payments will be clarified. [29181/20]

Rent Supplement Scheme

Richard Bruton

171. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new claimants of rent supplement which have come into payment since the Covid-19 pandemic commenced; and her plans to relax the stringent rules for withdrawal of the payment for persons considering returning to work by comparison with those that have been put on a housing assistance payment. [29182/20]

Work Placement Programmes

Richard Bruton

173. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms and conditions which will apply to the Work Experience Programme which was announced as part of the July Stimulus; the revised terms of the JobsPlus scheme outlined under the July Stimulus; and if a time limit has been set for the scheme. [29196/20]

Back to Education Allowance

Richard Bruton

174. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes in the criteria for the back to education allowance under the July stimulus; and the duration for which the revised criteria will apply. [29197/20]

Childcare Costs

Richard Bruton

181. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of children for whom the basic €20 per week is paid; and the number for whom enhanced payments are made. [29169/20]

Childcare Costs

Richard Bruton

182. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under childcare schemes according to the age of the child and the hours claimed. [29170/20]

Childcare Costs

Richard Bruton

183. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under childcare schemes according to the reckonable earnings of the parents. [29171/20]

Childcare Costs

Richard Bruton

184. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under the AIM schemes according to the categories of supports made available. [29172/20]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Richard Bruton

196. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the take-up to date of the subsidy to employers for enrolling apprentices; the breakdown by sector; and if consideration will be given to extending the closing date of the scheme. [29254/20]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Richard Bruton

197. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the take-up to date of the subsidy to employers for enrolling apprentices; the break down by sector; and if he will consider extending the closing date of the scheme. [29255/20]

Springboard Programme

Richard Bruton

198. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the changes in the eligibility criteria for Springboard opportunities for support for postgraduate participation. [29256/20]

Further Education and Training Programmes

Richard Bruton

199. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the conditions under which persons can participate in the skills to compete programme announced as part of the July stimulus; and the duration for which the additional supports will remain in place. [29257/20]

Health Services Charges

Richard Bruton

242. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in a full year of each of charges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29175/20]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Richard Bruton

243. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has concluded discussions on the possibility of encouraging the renting out of vacant homes of persons availing of the fair deal scheme by applying a lower rate of contribution to nursing home costs from this source or by other means; and if he has assessed the number of homes that might fall into this category. [29176/20]

Health Services Charges

Richard Bruton

244. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the charges that are made to private patients who are using public hospital facilities in either public wards, semi-private or private wards; and the proportion of beds in public hospitals for which such payments are received. [29177/20]

Pension Provisions

Richard Bruton

299. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the proposals in respect of increases proposed for An Post pensioners have been considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28621/20]

Wildlife Protection

Richard Bruton

322. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a proposal to initiate a cull of seals has been considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28743/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

172. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if an entire class must isolate in the event of one positive case of Covid-19, even if the close contacts of the student test negative. [27749/20]

State Examinations

Richard Bruton

180. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the principles that underpinned the standardisation approach that was used to adjust the calculated grades made by teachers; the protections that were in place to ensure that in cases in which downgrades were to occur each pupil was treated equally regardless of the school in which the grade was awarded; and if stress tests were applied to demonstrate its robustness. [27843/20]

Pension Provisions

Richard Bruton

172. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if progress has been possible on the request by community employment supervisors for an occupational pension scheme. [27622/20]

Broadcasting Sector

Richard Bruton

9. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he is in a position to finalise the membership of the Media Commission. [16500/20]

Irish Fiscal Advisory Council

Richard Bruton

32. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has assessed the advice of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on the shape of the future budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26405/20]

Irish Fiscal Advisory Council

Richard Bruton

35. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has assessed the advice of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council on the shape of the future budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26522/20]

Public Expenditure Policy

Richard Bruton

119. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the scope for accelerating the delivery of important public investment priorities at a time when private investment is likely to fall sharply and a demand stimulus will be needed has been examined. [26413/20]

State Examinations

Richard Bruton

470. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the safeguards being put in place to ensure the 2021 leaving certificate exams will take place in June 2021; and the adjustments to ensure fairness in examination for students that have had disrupted schooling. [26758/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

471. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that the appropriate supports are in place to allow for online learning in schools, including the appropriate provision of laptops and other devices to students; if sufficient technical supports to teachers and students are available to best use the facility and access to the best online tools. [26759/20]

School Curriculum

Richard Bruton

472. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if the review of RSE in schools has been completed; and when the changes will be introduced in schools. [26760/20]

Jobseeker's Benefit

Richard Bruton

536. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if short-time working under jobseeker’s benefit was claimable at the same time as the employer was claiming the recently closed temporary wage subsidy scheme from the Revenue Commissioners. [26353/20]

Child Benefit

Richard Bruton

558. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if an additional allowance will be given to students from low income families and an extension of child benefit beyond 18 years of age to encourage continuation in education after their junior certificate. [26761/20]

School Admissions

Richard Bruton

118. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the decision to remove from admission policies a preference for siblings in Dublin Catholic schools; if her Department was consulted on this move; and if this is regarded as a source of difficultly in achieving equitable admission in view of the considerable inconvenience for parents affected. [25734/20]

Speech and Language Therapy

Richard Bruton

183. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that diverting speech and language therapists risks disrupting service at a critical time and disrupting the pipeline of work experience for graduates. [25737/20]

Travel Trade Sector

Richard Bruton

202. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if capacity of the travel agent industry to survive the Covid-19 crisis has been assessed; and if a special range of supports will be developed in view of the particular circumstances of the sector.. [24900/20]

Cycling Policy

Richard Bruton

220. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered making the wearing of helmets by cyclists mandatory; and his plans to update legislation regarding cycling in view of the big uptake in use and the hazard posed by some practices on the roads at present. [25418/20]

Wage Subsidy Scheme

Richard Bruton

240. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the extension of employment wage subsidy scheme to proprietors and executive directors of small businesses will be considered. [24901/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Bruton

246. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if additional Covid-19 supports are being considered for sectors whose revenue throughout the period of the new Covid-19 Roadmap are likely to be impacted to a far greater extent than 30% which has featured to date in the design of supports of general application. [25269/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

302. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if her Department is working on the design of initiatives to support the various elements of the events sector which are unlikely return to generating more than a fraction of former revenue at any point in the new Covid-19 Roadmap; and the options under consideration. [25267/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Richard Bruton

514. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if special supports for proprietors and executive directors of small businesses for the duration of Covid-19 restrictions has been considered such as short time working payments and so on. [24902/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Richard Bruton

785. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the status of testing and tracing capacity here; the extent to which demand is pressing on available resources; the planned additional resources anticipated to be allocated as part of development planning; the extent to which resources are deployed for precautionary testing as opposed to testing in cases in which suspected symptoms have been identified; and the level of such precautionary capacity that will be needed as travel and other activities open with appropriate safety protocols [25233/20]

State Examinations

Richard Bruton

68. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the basis of appeal of grades in the leaving certificate; if the deviation of the results of a school from a pattern in previous years can be a basis for appeal; if there is consideration being given to reserving some of the extra college places for late entry for persons who choose to sit the exam in November 2020 rather than accept calculated grades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24205/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

58. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the key indicators relating to Covid-19 are tracked relative to comparable countries such as the UK, Denmark and Austria and the EU as a whole covering such matters as testing rate per hundred thousand, hospital admissions per hundred thousand, reproduction rate of the virus, indicators of levels of social contact and so on; if so, if the indicators will be published on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23273/20]

Airport Policy

Richard Bruton

225. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if the airport authority has the legal entitlement to charge persons who drop off passengers to the airport; the public benefit that will arise from such a charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23882/20]

Motor Insurance

Richard Bruton

286. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some insurers are unfairly seeking to take advantage of the benefit-in-kind concession granted to encourage company car fleets to go electric and that some insurers are refusing to recognise no-claim bonuses accumulated by drivers on their private policies, thereby overcharging for the risk of cover. [23894/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Richard Bruton

724. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the protocol for arranging a test for a person who does not have access to a car to drive himself or herself; if there is a backlog or delay in handling such tests; and if he is satisfied that there is a satisfactory clearing house for persons experiencing difficulties in this regard. [23706/20]

Medical Cards

Richard Bruton

727. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the extension of general practitioner only cards to those up to eight years of age is going ahead in September 2020 as originally planned. [23710/20]

Medical Cards

Richard Bruton

728. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if the increased means test for those over 70 years of age has been implemented. [23711/20]

Proposed Legislation

Richard Bruton

242. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the status of legislation in preparation to provide a legal framework for the use of e-scooters; the work that has been done to date on that legislation; when it is scheduled to be presented; and his views on whether an opportunity for safe transport in a Covid-19 world is being lost through this gap in legislation. [22269/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Richard Bruton

251. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the supports available to families that book holidays in destinations that were not on the green list and that opted not to travel even though the flight went ahead. [22520/20]

School Funding

Richard Bruton

503. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the significant gap in funding between voluntary secondary schools and those which are run by the ETB sector; and her plans to close the funding gap. [21358/20]