Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Local Authority Housing

Gino Kenny

10. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether the crisis in housing shows the need for a massive programme of social and public house building funded by the State and local authorities in view of the failure of the market and various incentives to deal with the crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33385/17]

Voluntary Housing Sector

Gino Kenny

46. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure voluntary housing agencies that are recipients of State funds do not raise their rents out of line with rents charged by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33386/17]

Visa Applications

Gino Kenny

64. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to examine the restrictions on visa applications from Libyan citizens, especially those in the medical professions who have offers of employment here, in view of the problems in retaining and recruiting staff in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32973/17]

Ministerial Meetings

Gino Kenny

77. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will meet the family of a person (details supplied) regarding an inquiry into their death and the subsequent events around the Garda investigation and court proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32972/17]

Stardust Fire

Gino Kenny

212. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if, in recognition and acknowledgement of the long campaign for justice for the victims of the Stardust tragedy, he will sanction payment for the most recent report carried out on behalf of the families of the victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33225/17]

Rail Services Provision

Gino Kenny

386. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the planned automation of Greystones DART station; the impact on staff and passengers, including those with disabilities and tourists that often look to staff for help and information; the health and safety implications; his plans to lease Greystones station for commercial use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33198/17]

Defence Forces Remuneration

Gino Kenny

44. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the current pay proposals for the public sector will deal with endemic low pay in the Defence Forces; if he will be seeking special arrangements for the Defence Forces to insure an end to low pay and reliance on FIS among those in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32596/17]

Defence Forces Representative Organisations

Gino Kenny

63. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to meet with PDFORRA; his views on the right of the Defence Forces to have a representative body to discuss issues such as low pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32597/17]

Student Support Schemes

Gino Kenny

24. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to invest in third level mental health counselling; his further plans to ring-fence €3 million for student counselling and supports per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31574/17]

Departmental Titles

Gino Kenny

308. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will consider retaining the word Gaeltacht in the title of her Department when the reorganisation of her Department occurs. [31035/17]

Youth Services Provision

Gino Kenny

548. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the need for youth facilities and programmes in the Newcastle, County Dublin area; her plans to put funding and resources in place to address these growing needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31019/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Gino Kenny

1. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [30165/17]

Student Assistance Fund

Gino Kenny

121. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to begin a phased restoration to 2012 rates of student assistance fund, SAF, to reflect the real costs attached to participation in higher level education here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30344/17]

Infectious Disease Screening Service

Gino Kenny

96. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease here needs to be improved substantially to improve the lives of the many sufferers here; his further views on the fact that in other jurisdictions there are much more advanced and reliable blood tests which should be introduced here in place of the current unreliable ELISA test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27733/17]

Medicinal Products Availability

Gino Kenny

101. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the motion recently adopted by an organisation (details supplied) calling for the prescription of cannabis for medicinal use not to be restricted to consultants only but to allow general practitioners to do so also; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27734/17]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Gino Kenny

51. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering reversing previous cuts to young persons jobseeker's allowance in the upcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26042/17]

Social Insurance Fund Deficit

Gino Kenny

55. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the decision by his Department to write off moneys owed by employers under the insolvency and redundancy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26041/17]

Social Welfare Fraud

Gino Kenny

60. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will justify the expenditure on the advertising campaign against social welfare fraud in view of the resources available to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26039/17]

Departmental Reports

Gino Kenny

99. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection when he plans to report on the pension inequality that has emerged post-changes to the way the State contributory pension is calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26040/17]

Medicinal Products Availability

Gino Kenny

390. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his Department signed a contract with the manufacturers of Orkambi; when the drug will be made available to persons with cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25284/17]

Chronic Disease Management Programme

Gino Kenny

495. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if the HSE can begin implementing the international consensus criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis in order that ME patients can get a clear diagnosis as quickly as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25915/17]

Chronic Disease Management Programme

Gino Kenny

496. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the HSE to develop a clear pathway of care for ME patients with prompt access to specialists and treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25916/17]

Hospital Consultant Recruitment

Gino Kenny

497. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if a myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME, specialist can be retained to oversee patient care in view of the fact that ME is a multi-system central nervous system disorder similar to MS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25917/17]

Medical Research and Training

Gino Kenny

498. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will recommend the improvement of education, knowledge and experience in medical training institutions of myalgic encephalomyelitis which is recognised by the World Health Organization as a neurological disease classification G93.3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25919/17]

Exchequer Returns

Gino Kenny

85. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance if the proceeds of moneys captured in criminal drug hauls are included in GDP figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23822/17]

Prescriptions Data

Gino Kenny

389. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the data on trends in the prescription of stimulant drugs to children for the past 20 years; if the collected data indicate an overall rise in problems associated with prescribed stimulants in terms of stunting of growth, cardiovascular anomalies and diversion for recreational or other unauthorised use; the steps he will take to address a rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding stimulant medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22891/17]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

407. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Products Regulatory Authority supports on its website an information leaflet on the medicine fluoxetine (details supplied); if this explanation of thoughts of self-harm or suicide when starting an antidepressant as being due to a delay in onset of action is an evidence based one; if it is contradicted by placebo controlled randomised clinical trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22948/17]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

408. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Products Regulatory Authority supports on its website an information leaflet on the medicine fluoxetine which includes with regard to the way fluoxetine works the statement that (details supplied); if this is evidence based information supported by expert mental health professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22949/17]

Mental Health Services Provision

Gino Kenny

54. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the delays parents of autistic children are experiencing in accessing child and adult mental health services over the past 12 months; the reason children are being refused services at key developmental ages and experiencing delays that will impact on their future development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20736/17]

Mental Health Services Provision

Gino Kenny

88. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the way in which he intends to comply with the Disability Act 2005, which lays out clear timelines for the assessment of need, in view of the fact that there is currently a backlog of 4,600 children; and when he expects this backlog to be cleared. [20735/17]

Prescriptions Data

Gino Kenny

836. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the data collected on trends in the prescribing of psychoactive psychotropic drugs here, especially to children, over the past 20 years; if the collected data indicates an overall rise in problems associated with prescribed medications, especially with opioids, stimulants, anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs in terms of tolerance, withdrawal and dependency; the measures being taken to address any rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding prescription medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19402/17]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Gino Kenny

58. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review FIS means testing with the rent allowance payment in view of the fact prior to 2012 FIS was not calculated when means testing for rent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17716/17]

One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Gino Kenny

74. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the way maintenance is calculated for lone parents; the detail of the policy of cutting the income of lone parents that are not receiving maintenance from the absent parent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17717/17]

Medicinal Products Data

Gino Kenny

508. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on the monitoring of trends in the prescription of psychoactive psychotropic drugs here, especially to children, over the past 20 years; if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the rise in problems associated with prescribed medications, especially opioid painkillers, in terms of drug dependency and overdose, including fatal overdose; the measures being taken to address the rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding prescription medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/17]

Medicinal Products Data

Gino Kenny

509. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on the monitoring of trends in the prescription of psychoactive psychotropic drugs here, especially to children, over the past 20 years; if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the rise in problems associated with prescribed medications, especially stimulants, anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs, in terms of tolerance and withdrawal and the lack of support from systematic reviews of their use in children; the measures being taken to address the rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding prescription medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17651/17]

School Staff

Gino Kenny

85. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) wishes to retain an extra school teacher it acquired in 2016; if the school can retain the extra teacher it acquired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16498/17]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Gino Kenny

86. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision to make cutbacks in the provision of all learning support in English and mathematics and in the provision of resource hours at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16499/17]

Tax Avoidance

Gino Kenny

80. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance his plans to make changes to the tax regime in view of a recent report (details supplied) on the tax rates paid by international banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16470/17]

NAMA Operations

Gino Kenny

87. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Finance his views on the recent report by a person (details supplied) into NAMA's remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16471/17]

Speech and Language Therapy Provision

Gino Kenny

276. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will grant a speech and language teacher to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16647/17]

Health Services

Gino Kenny

514. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the care pathway and level of unmet need in primary and secondary care health services for children who could be diagnosed with ADHD, whose estimated number in the child population is reported as several multiples of the capacity of secondary care CAMHS services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16276/17]

Child Care Services Provision

Gino Kenny

515. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the status of the quoted CAMHS standard operating procedure. SOP, in terms of the proportion of CAMHS staff, including consultant child psychiatrists, that have signed agreement to the SOP as is required before implementation as per HSE policy and in terms of other issues (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16277/17]

Immigration Policy

Gino Kenny

14. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the hardship the visa restrictions on Libyan citizens is causing a number of applicants; if these restrictions could be lifted in cases other than those working in the beef or oil industries in view of the recent EU deal with the Libyan authorities on migrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15660/17]

Visa Applications

Gino Kenny

47. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will review the present restrictions on visa applications from Libya especially in the cases of medical personnel that could make a valuable contribution to the health service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15661/17]

Youth Services Provision

Gino Kenny

39. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to address the youth needs in Balgaddy, which is an area of disadvantage and exclusion in Dublin mid-west; if facilities will be put in place to accommodate the needs of young persons in the area and specifically, in the Tor an Rí area of Balgaddy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15206/17]

Mental Health Services

Gino Kenny

82. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his Department has been in touch with or has received any reports from the HSE with regard to the ongoing issue of children with mental health difficulties being treated in adult mental health facilities. [7042/17]

Medicinal Products Licensing

Gino Kenny

115. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the changes since the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, confirmed to Dáil Éireann on 15 November 2016 that compassionate access to cannabis-based medicine should be prescribed by an Irish-registered doctor and recent comments by himself and the Taoiseach on 28 February 2017 and 1 March 2017 that this medicine now needs to be prescribed by a consultant neurologist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12070/17]

Rent Supplement Scheme

Gino Kenny

346. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons in receipt of rent allowance who refuse to transfer to a HAP payment for reasons including losing the time spent on the housing waiting list can have their rent allowance discontinued or be threatened with same, as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12183/17]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

654. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the advice he has received from the Chief Medical Officer, as referred to in Dáil Éireann on 28 February 2017, with regard to compassionate access to cannabis-based medicine; if he will publish this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12071/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Gino Kenny

29. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the delay in the proposed extension and refurbishment of a school (details supplied) is seriously impeding the school's ability to increase its enrolment numbers to meet the growing educational demands in the Lucan area; if he will expedite stage 2A that has been with his Department's technical staff for review since 6 January 2017 in order that the school can quickly proceed to stage 2B of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10329/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Gino Kenny

72. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in expediting stage 2A of the architectural planning process for the extension and refurbishment of a school (details supplied); the action that will be taken to move the process onto stage 2B as quickly as possible; if he will ensure that the revised opening date of September 2019 is met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10328/17]

HIV-AIDS Programmes

Gino Kenny

627. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health when the implementation group established by the HSE will make its recommendations on the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10236/17]

Poverty Data

Gino Kenny

33. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the findings of the survey on income and living conditions, SILC, report; if he will make changes to the one-parent family payment as a result of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8441/17]

Homemakers Scheme

Gino Kenny

40. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection when he expects to have his report on the changes to the homemaker's credit that he committed to in the course of the Social Welfare Bill 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8442/17]

Community Employment Schemes Administration

Gino Kenny

56. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for community employment and the impacts any changes to these schemes would have in communities around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8438/17]

Bereavement Grant

Gino Kenny

73. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will reinstate the bereavement grant and make additional funds available to the exceptional needs payment, which were cut in January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8439/17]

Medicinal Products

Gino Kenny

414. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the assistance he has provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8192/17]

HIV-AIDS Programmes

Gino Kenny

487. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to support the use of the combination of the drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir for pre-exposure prophylaxis as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy in respect of HIV infection (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8648/17]

Maternity Services Provision

Gino Kenny

488. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that every woman and baby has the right to high-quality care (details supplied); if he will further ensure that the governance of women’s health services is robust, independent and secure and not targeted for cuts by having a ring-fenced budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8649/17]

Child Poverty

Gino Kenny

80. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will urgently establish an interdepartmental task force to address the escalating national crisis of child poverty in view of the fact that according to the most recent SILC report 2015 a child is now more than four times more likely to live in poverty based on their family status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7026/17]

Narcolepsy Issues

Gino Kenny

441. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the status of the plan to fund the establishment of a national service for narcolepsy in St. James's Hospital; if he will expedite this plan to avoid further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6993/17]

Hospital Beds Data

Gino Kenny

451. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the acute hospital bed numbers in the health service, broken down by inpatient and day patient beds, area and employer over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7068/17]

Hospital Staff Data

Gino Kenny

452. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the staffing levels in the health service, broken down by area and employing agency, both public and private, over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7069/17]

Ambulance Service

Gino Kenny

453. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the ambulance response times for emergency call outs, by area, for the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7070/17]

Language Schools

Gino Kenny

49. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the top ten English language schools by numbers of students registered by GNIB, in tabular form; the nationalities and numbers of students registered in each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6478/17]

Mental Health Services Staff

Gino Kenny

182. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist posts here which are filled by doctors on the Medical Council specialist register for child and adolescent psychiatry; the number filled by doctors not on the register and which are vacant, by community healthcare organisation, CHO, area and year for the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6447/17]

Health Services Funding

Gino Kenny

30. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the record number of acutely ill persons waiting on trolleys in emergency departments in January 2017 and the threat of strike action by nurses due to unsafe staffing levels, he will allocate emergency funding of €1.2 billion to urgently address the deficits in hospital beds, medical staffing and primary care services in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4857/17]

Health Products Regulatory Authority

Gino Kenny

607. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health when the HPRA report on the regulation of cannabis for medicinal use will be made available to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4658/17]

Human Rights

Gino Kenny

61. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to an open letter to the UN Security Council from more than a dozen Nobel laureates, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, criticising Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader, for a bloody military crackdown on minority Rohingya people, warning of a tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3030/17]

Middle East Issues

Gino Kenny

71. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump’s, plan to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; and that this planned move is a reversal of existing US policy (details supplied); if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the move is a violation of Resolution 181 of the UN General Assembly and that senior Palestinian officials warn that the move could provoke regional violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3029/17]

Military Neutrality

Gino Kenny

356. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether Ireland's neutrality is in question due to the shift towards an alliance with Britain, Europe and the United States; if Ireland has entered into agreements with foreign powers on air defences without consulting Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39827/16]

Safety of Irish Citizens Abroad

Gino Kenny

357. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will telephone President Duterte on behalf of a person (details supplied); if he will meet with the person's spouse to hear their perspective; and if he will verify the location of the person's passport. [1743/17]

Religious Persecution

Gino Kenny

684. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to an armed raid conducted by Pakistani police on the administrative offices at the headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Rabwah, Pakistan on 5 December 2016 (details supplied); if he will protest to the Pakistan Government regarding this state-sanctioned sectarian violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41129/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

959. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene on behalf of very young children awaiting assessment under the Disability Act 2005 such as a person (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that despite the HSE local CHOs in areas such as Dublin mid west and Dublin south west admitting that delays and deficiencies are due to lack of resources, waiting lists are not reducing but are in fact growing, particularly for therapy services such as OT, SLT and physiotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41384/16]

Health Services Provision

Gino Kenny

967. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the implied previous work on developing a clinical programme that has taken place for children when the HSE states in its service plan for 2017 that it will continue to develop the clinical programme for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41414/16]

Hospital Services

Gino Kenny

968. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the change that was recorded in trolley numbers at St. Vincent's hospital before and since the downgrading of the accident and emergency department at St. Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41415/16]

Medicinal Products Availability

Gino Kenny

1012. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the result of the health technology assessment by the NCPE of the human alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor drug Respreeza is processed in a timely way, so that it can be promptly reimbursed by the HSE as it is reimbursed in other countries (details supplied); if he will ensure that those persons currently on the drug with beneficial results are guaranteed continued reimbursed use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41569/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Gino Kenny

1288. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that flash glucose monitoring systems are available on the long-term illness scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1566/17]

Middle East Issues

Gino Kenny

1477. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the National Digital Research Centre, NDRC, whose budget is paid entirely from State funds, refused to support an initiative to assist the fledgling start-up ecosystem in Palestine citing NDRC’s purported politically neutral status in view of the fact that it has provided support and sponsorship to a programme of engagement with the start-up ecosystem of Israel (details supplied); his plans to influence the NDRC to co-operate in extending support to the Palestine start-up ecosystem or to cease support for the Israeli start-up ecosystem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41592/16]

Garda Investigations

Gino Kenny

4. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who was killed in 2011 in a hit-and-run incident; if her attention has been further drawn to the family's concern that if the guilty party had been properly dealt with before the fatal incident, the person would not have been killed, and that the family allege there is evidence of failure, cover up and corruption at the level of the Garda, the courts, her Department and the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP; if she will call for a public inquiry into the circumstances of the person's death and its aftermath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40592/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

11. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views as to whether there is a legal barrier in view of the lack of any barrier to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from a legal perspective and only from a policy point of view; the policy of Government that has informed the failure to ratify the convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40440/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

37. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been delayed for over nine years in view of the fact that international agreements have the force of law to the extent determined by the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40439/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

41. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the significant blockages or barriers to ratification and enactment of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2007, in view of the fact there is no legal impediment to ratification from the United Nations perspective; the action that has been taken to address the putative barriers or blockages to date; when ratification is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40302/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

45. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her views on whether it is the cuts to disability services which has prevented the Government ratifying the convention in view of the lack of any barrier to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from a legal perspective and only from a policy point of view; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40441/16]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gino Kenny

46. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason children in care at a residential centre run by Tusla in County Tipperary were exposed to behaviours and situations that were higher risk than the situations they were removed from, according to HIQA; the safeguards for their care that have been put in place to ensure their current safety and security; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39934/16]

Child Protection

Gino Kenny

47. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason senior child protection sources who spoke to RTÉ said apparent discrimination by Tusla, reported by the HSE, which may have excluded children from child protection services was ongoing, but Tusla have issued a statement saying this was an issue only in the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39933/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

118. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the nature of the significant blockages or barriers to ratification and enactment of the 2007 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in view of the fact that there is no legal impediment to ratification from the United Nations perspective; the measures taken to address the putative barriers or blockages to date; when ratification can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39886/16]

Teaching Contracts

Gino Kenny

217. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he will address the anomaly whereby teachers that have taught outside of the EU are capped at seven years' credits, while teachers that have taught in other countries inside the EU receive credits on a year for year basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40061/16]

Teaching Contracts

Gino Kenny

218. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will review Circular 10 of 2001, in particular section 4.2 thereof, which caps credit in respect of service given in states outside the EU at seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40062/16]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Gino Kenny

421. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the assurances he can provide that community employment schemes in the health and social care service will not be used to replace permanent positions in the service nor to exploit jobseekers along the lines of previous discredited schemes such as JobBridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39448/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

4. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the preparations he is making across his Department to ensure rights will be vindicated for the persons with disabilities in the care of the health service and under his area of responsibility in view of the imminence of the Government's commitment to ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38167/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Gino Kenny

30. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the urgent respite that can be offered to such carers and the long-term remedy he is considering in view of the reply to parents of disabled adults that there is a ten-year waiting list for residential care and that the HSE is unable to provide them with an average waiting time, or indicate when a bed may be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/16]

Prescriptions Data

Gino Kenny

36. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on the monitoring of trends in the prescription of psychoactive psychotropic drugs here, especially to children, over the past 20 years; if his attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the rise in problems associated with prescribed medications, especially opioid painkillers and benzodiazepine sedatives in terms of drug dependency and overdose, including fatal overdose; the measures being taken to address the rise in prescription rates and associated problems regarding prescription medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37968/16]

Disabilities Assessments

Gino Kenny

64. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number and cost of assessments of needs under the Disability Act 2005 that were contracted out to therapists in private practice and or carried out by agency staff between 2011 and 2015; the reason HSE employed staff are not being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37966/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Gino Kenny

69. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite special education assessments, in the view of the National Disability Authority and the Disability Act 2005, due to the failure to commence sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; the action he is taking in his dealings with the Department of Education and Skills and others to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37967/16]

Disabilities Assessments

Gino Kenny

82. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason that, according to the HSE, in cases of completed applications received for an assessment of need under the Disability Act 2005, between 2011 and 2015, less than two thirds of assessment reports were completed and of those completed, less than two thirds had service statements completed despite the clear requirements of the Act to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37965/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility

Gino Kenny

160. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person with multiple sclerosis and diabetes can hold a long-term illness card for life but a person with a long-term mental health diagnosis such as schizophrenia is ineligible for the same card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37771/16]

Health Services Expenditure

Gino Kenny

161. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the way in which Ireland is ranked in relation to OECD countries in relation to overall spending in health both public and private and Ireland's ranking for the public funding of health spending in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37772/16]

Child Abduction

Gino Kenny

378. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); if he will intervene by contacting the Algerian authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37486/16]

Consular Services Provision

Gino Kenny

379. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he has taken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37487/16]