Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Water Charges Exemptions

Olivia Mitchell

130. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a recommended daily minimum water usage for adults under European health policy and, if so, if he will confirm what that minimum is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21746/14]

Child Abduction

Olivia Mitchell

149. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has communicated to the embassy here, the Government's unhappiness at the negligible response from the Nigerian Government to the abduction of 300 schoolgirls and their possible subsequent sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21226/14]

Motor Tax Collection

Olivia Mitchell

446. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to review the current motor taxation system in view of the fact that there are many more efficient cars on the road now than when the system was introduced and of the penalising effect on those who cannot afford to upgrade their cars to newer models; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21164/14]

Services for People with Disabilities

Olivia Mitchell

595. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if there has been a policy change to no longer provide residential care for children with intellectual disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21098/14]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Olivia Mitchell

650. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the number of the 80 additional therapy staff who have been recruited this year as part of the progressing disability services for children and young people programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21507/14]

Departmental Advertising Expenditure

Olivia Mitchell

66. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the advertising spend by each of the agencies under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19794/14]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Olivia Mitchell

717. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health when a person in (details supplied) in Dublin South will receive orthotic footwear; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18565/14]

School Transport Eligibility

Olivia Mitchell

49. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are no school places available in a local Gaelscoil due to the effects of a sibling policy being in place, if his Department will consider introducing a school bus or a travel grant to enable students to travel to an alternative Gaelscoil further away but within the catchment area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18107/14]

Health Services Provision

Olivia Mitchell

655. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene to ensure invasive ventilation is made available to a motor neurone sufferer (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16559/14]

Autism Support Services

Olivia Mitchell

76. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being made to increase the number of ASD places in mainstream secondary schools in Dublin South; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15722/14]

Disability Support Services Provision

Olivia Mitchell

236. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the Health Service Executive’s Progressing Disability Service for Children and Young People programme in Dublin South; when the new network disability teams will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15702/14]

Disability Support Services Provision

Olivia Mitchell

237. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of children attending ASD units in Dublin South who are not receiving clinical services; the number of children attending ASD units in Dublin south on waiting lists for clinical services; the estimated waiting time for access to clinical services in Dublin South; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/14]

Disability Support Services Provision

Olivia Mitchell

238. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the matter of children attending ASD units in Dublin South who are not receiving clinical therapies such as psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language supports, due to long waiting lists for services in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15704/14]

Irish Water Expenditure

Olivia Mitchell

362. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of the annual payment to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council from Irish Water as determined in the service level agreement between them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15065/14]

Irish Water Administration

Olivia Mitchell

647. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a policy on social affordability measures for vulnerable customers of the new Water Authority have been developed; when they will be available for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12901/14]

Domestic Violence Policy

Olivia Mitchell

735. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12799/14]

Immigration Policy

Olivia Mitchell

748. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if separate Garda National Immigration Bureau arrangements could be made for employed tax-paying persons, many of whom are here as the result of IDA Ireland incentives and are often forced to take several days from work to queue for renewal in view of limited number of renewals dispensed each day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13188/14]

Private Security Authority Inspections

Olivia Mitchell

749. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when it is anticipated that the Private Security Authority will announce a timeframe for the licensing of CCTV monitoring centres and the introduction of the new standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13226/14]

Direct Provision System

Olivia Mitchell

146. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there have been improvements in the waiting time for asylum processing for applicants in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12273/14]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Olivia Mitchell

147. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that basic human rights are being observed in all centres for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12274/14]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Olivia Mitchell

127. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the actions that could now be taken to provide a permanent school (details supplied) as the preferred site has been refused planning permission for the second time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11717/14]

Teachers' Remuneration

Olivia Mitchell

95. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is policy that contracts of indefinite duration are only awarded to teachers and tutors up to eligibility to claim State pension; the date on which was this policy was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10659/14]

School Enrolments Data

Olivia Mitchell

301. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the intake capacity of each secondary school in Dublin 16, 18 and 14 in 2014; the projected intake of these schools in the next five years; if he is satisfied that the projected population growth will be adequately catered for in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9518/14]

School Enrolments Data

Olivia Mitchell

302. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form, the number of students attending primary schools in Dublin 16, 18, 14 in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/14]

School Enrolments

Olivia Mitchell

303. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 96 of 3 December 2013, the outcome of discussions between his Department and a school (details supplied) in Dublin 16 regarding the school accepting two junior infant classes in September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9520/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

304. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the progress of the four primary schools in Dublin 16 and 18, listed on the five year programme for schools and planned to progress to construction in 2015/2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9524/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Olivia Mitchell

319. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that schools (details supplied) will not be unfairly penalised and deprived of the €100 grant per child due to their initiative in commencing, in line with Government guidelines, a partial book rental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9671/14]

Equality Tribunal Cases

Olivia Mitchell

338. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the two-year waiting time for the hearing of complaints at the Equality Tribunal; his plans to allocate additional resources to the tribunal to reduce waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7879/14]

Medical Records

Olivia Mitchell

214. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health what will happen to patients' medical records due to the closure of Mount Carmel Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5998/14]

Pension Levy

Olivia Mitchell

40. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider making those with a pension fund of less than €300,000 a year which would have an approximate payment of €12,000 a year, similar to the non-contributory pension rate, exempt from paying the pension levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4680/14]

VAT Rate Application

Olivia Mitchell

210. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the inconsistency that exists between the VAT Consolidation Act 2010 and the Revenue Commissioners' leaflet on VAT for veterinary services, which is of great concern to the professional dog groomers industry; if he will review the inconsistency and allow professional dog groomers to charge the 13.5% VAT rate which is available to veterinary practices that provide dog grooming services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4145/14]

Water Meters

Olivia Mitchell

553. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is the intention of Irish Water, as reported recently, to charge apartment dwellers on an average use basis rather than a metered basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4137/14]

Building Regulations Amendments

Olivia Mitchell

554. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reconsider the proposed amendment S.I No. 9 of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 which if introduced could discourage the tradition of self-builders here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4147/14]

Tax Code

Olivia Mitchell

84. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will reconsider the cases where the loss of the single person child carer credit results in the secondary carer moving into a higher tax band, as the loss of income caused is much larger than €1,650 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2122/14]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Olivia Mitchell

119. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the revised incremental salary scales will be published to address the imbalance between those who entered the public service since 2011 and those who entered before that date, as referenced in the Haddington Road agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1929/14]

Pension Fund Fees

Olivia Mitchell

143. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider introducing a statutory limit on the amount of fees that a pension fund can charge as is proposed in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2087/14]

Banking Operations

Olivia Mitchell

125. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if the debt write-off by Allied Irish Banks to Independent News and Media was sanctioned by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1093/14]

School Funding

Olivia Mitchell

242. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 95 of 18 December 2013, when the capitation grant and the ancillary services grant are expected to be merged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1421/14]

School Accommodation

Olivia Mitchell

248. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a temporary site has been sought for the gaelcholáiste to serve the general Ballinteer/Stepaside area that will commence operation in 2014 under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán Ghaeilge, due to the urgency of this matter and the concerns of students, parents and teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1668/14]

Building Regulations Amendments

Olivia Mitchell

509. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider amending S.I. No. 80/2013 - Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 to include architectural technologist in the schedule of those eligible to certify under this legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1247/14]

School Funding

Olivia Mitchell

95. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if in order to improve difficult cash flow problems being faced by primary schools, if the capitation grant and the ancillary services grants will be paid earlier in the school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54576/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

235. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address overcrowding and long waiting lists in a school (details supplied). [54183/13]

Middle East Issues

Olivia Mitchell

29. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action that he will take to help avert the looming humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to the closure of its only power point and increased tightening of the blockade of Gaza, making the area as described by UNRWA as quickly becoming uninhabitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53210/13]

Liquor Licensing Laws

Olivia Mitchell

117. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his view on the suggestion that a condition of the granting of drink licences to pubs and restaurants would be the mandatory stocking of non-alcoholic beer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53178/13]

Budget Targets

Olivia Mitchell

121. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance the reason neither GNP nor GDP is used as a key denominator to measure State costs in order to receive more accurate readings on public spending key performance indicators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52924/13]

Social Welfare Benefits

Olivia Mitchell

247. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the restrictions on access to benefits and housing to be introduced in the UK, if similar measures will now be required here on 1 January when citizens of both Romania and Bulgaria will have completely free mobility throughout the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53177/13]

Pensions Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

258. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection if the changes to the allocation of funds proposed in the pensions Bill could be extended to include funds currently in wind-up but where the funds have not yet been distributed by the time of enactment. [52644/13]

Home Tuition Scheme Administration

Olivia Mitchell

44. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind the decision to confine early intervention services for children aged between two and four years with a diagnosis of autism, including the home tuition scheme, to primary school teachers registered with the Teaching Council to the exclusion of psychologists with specific training and experience in working with early childhood autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51983/13]

Economic Data

Olivia Mitchell

33. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Taoiseach if in future, earnings and labour cost reports will continue to use the baseline year 2008 for table No. 1, and throughout the report in view of the fact that for the foreseeable future, progress or otherwise should be measured against the peak year of 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51787/13]

Pensions Levy

Olivia Mitchell

59. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance the situation affecting existing employees of Permanent TSB whose insolvent fund was wound up in May last, but who now find themselves part of a defined contribution scheme as a result of bank efforts to reduce its cost by 8% as requested by him, and consequently find their greatly depleted funds are liable for the pension levy, though the fund itself still has all the liabilities of a defined benefit pension for existing retirees; and if he will consider an exemption for those nearing retirement in view of the fact that they meet two of the three requirements for exemption to the tax under the Protection of Employees Employment Insolvency Act 1984. [51339/13]