Written answers
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
- Department of Social Protection
- Job Activation Measures
9. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied with the current level of job activation services provided by her Department. [17573/14]
- National Internship Scheme Placements
12. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is concerned at the failure of 40% of those who take an internship through JobBridge to secure full-time employment on completing that...
- Rent Supplement Scheme Payments
13. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the knock-on repercussions in areas like counties Kildare and Meath where rent supplement cut off levels are...
- Jobseeker's Allowance Payments
14. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the cuts to young persons' jobseeker's allowance in view of the EU-wide research report social situation of young people in...
- Unemployment Levels
16. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to deal with the long-term unemployed on the northside of Dublin. [17466/14]
- Pensions Reform
18. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of defined benefit pension schemes that closed in 2013 and to date in 2014; her plans to further reform the pensions industry here; and if...
- Child Benefit Data
19. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the primary purpose of letters sent recently to households regarding child benefit; the purpose of seeking information on childcare provision for the...
- Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility
20. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the procedure employed in evaluating medical information provided to her Department for children with autism; and if she will make...
- JobsPlus Scheme
21. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason there has been little political will to push JobsPlus in the market place; if she will support the establishment of an agency who would...
- Job Initiatives
22. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the objections to JobPath, which proposes to outsource employment support services to private operators, submitted by the public sector...
- Social Welfare Payments Administration
23. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to transfer payments from her Department to an electronic system; if she has discussed this proposed change with the Department of...
- Rent Supplement Scheme Applications
25. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she and her Department are taking to address the delays in processing rent allowance applications; if there are staffing issues here that...
- Job Initiatives
26. To ask the Minister for Social Protection in relation to the Gateway scheme the reasons participation in the initiative is mandatory rather than voluntary; and if she will make a statement on...
- Social Welfare Schemes
27. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way the medical assessment criteria differs for certain applications within her Department; particularly in the case of a person (details...
- Community Employment Schemes Review
29. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the risks referenced by her in response to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 11 March 2014 to future delivery of community employment schemes and...
- Pension Provisions
31. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the Pensions Ombudsman has reviewed its response time to queries regarding pension complaints since its establishment, particularly regarding...
- Employment Support Services
32. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she continues to monitor the various measures taken to date to address long-term and youth unemployment; the extent to which any...
- Family Income Supplement Applications
35. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the family income supplement renewal process (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17576/14]
- Data Protection
36. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to tighten up on data protection protocols and procedures in her Department in view of the findings by the Data Protection...
- Employment Support Services
37. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to promote the uptake of family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17687/14]
- Work Placement Programmes (1 comment)
38. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the problem with JobBridge whereby persons who take the initiative and secure temporary employment in a sector...
- Money Advice and Budgeting Service
39. To ask the Minister for Social Protection in view of the vital work which the Money Advice and Budgeting Service carries out if there is scope to extend the presence of the service to new...
- Youth Guarantee
41. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of training or education places that have been set aside this year for young persons who are out of work as part of the Youth Guarantee;...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Missing Persons
43. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on investigations taking place into the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will...
- Department of Finance
- Consultancy Contracts Expenditure
44. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount that was paid to consultants (details supplied) to research possible changes to the tax treatment of pensions; the length of time their consultancy...
- Mortgage Resolution Processes
45. To ask the Minister for Finance in respect of the recent sale of mortgages, by Certus/Bank of Scotland, to Tanager, if these mortgages will be covered by the code of conduct on mortgage...
- Tax Credits
46. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will arrange for a new tax credit certificate to be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [18203/14]
- Department of Education and Skills
- Social Welfare Benefits
47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a training allowance. [18134/14]
- School Accommodation
48. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when his Department expects the prefabs to be replaced with permanent buildings at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will...
- School Transport Eligibility
49. To ask 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...
- Educational Disadvantage
50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a review will be carried out of the levels of disadvantage in our primary schools to allow schools that are currently categorised as band 2...
- School Transport Provision
51. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are sufficient public transport links to effectively service the feeder area for a school (details supplied) in an environmentally...
- School Relocation
52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons behind the relocation of a school (details supplied) in view of the fact that there is a falling demand for primary school places...
- Special Educational Needs Services Provision
54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy regarding applied behavioural analysis intervention in the education of children with autism; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Higher Education Schemes
56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when an application for funding-grant under the higher education access route can be made in respect of the 2014-2015 academic year; and if he...
- School Enrolments
57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the enrolment policy for the Educate Together secondary school proposed for north County Wicklow; if he will ensure that students in north and...
- School Accommodation
58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to evaluate the future primary school needs of Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18157/14]
- Schools Building Projects Administration
59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on building new schools where public access is only available via roads that have not been taken in charge by the local authority; and...
- Schools Building Projects Status
60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the go ahead to appoint a contractor for the building of school extension (details supplied) in County Wexford will be approved by his...
- School Textbooks
61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 231 of 8 April 2014, in view of the fact that he has accepted that there is no need for workbooks in...
- State Examinations
62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the effectiveness of the HPAT examination as part of the examination qualification for entry to medicine courses; his views on recent...
- Departmental Bodies
63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the concerns regarding the day-to-day operational services of Caranua and ensure that the service will conduct its operations...
- School Textbooks
64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 8 April 2014, in view of the fact that all boards of management that have been encountered are...
- School Establishment
65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the development of a new Educate Together school at Shelly Banks in the Sandymount-Ringsend area; if planning permission...
- Schools Amalgamation
66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the amalgamation of schools (details supplied) at a new site on Haddington Road; the number of pupils the new school is...
- School Placement
67. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have been unable to access a school place in a primary school for September 2014 in the Donnybrook, Sandymount,...
- School Management
68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if in his view the Ombudsman for Children has a role to investigate any administrative decision made by a school board of management which has...
- Summer Works Scheme Applications
69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the second announcement of summer works scheme will be announced; and if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will be considered. [18232/14]
- Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student who is awarded Irish citizenship mid-way through an academic year who previously was refused a Student Universal Support Ireland...
- School Placement
71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school placements (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18254/14]
- Schools Building Projects Status
72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; when was this school first sought from the Department; if he will outline each...
- School Curriculum
73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 8 April 2014, where he states that schools also will respond in various ways to meet the diverse...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Departmental Properties
74. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the land that was sold at Navan Road Cabra for €1,702,800.73, the proceeds of which were received by the State...
- Freedom of Information Legislation
75. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reasons section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 1997, which requires public bodies to publish and make available the criteria...
- Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
- Pension Provisions
77. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will ask the Competition Authority to carry out a sectoral investigation into the pensions industry; and if he will make a...
- Unfinished Housing Developments
78. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in relation to lands and property assets held by development companies for liquidation, and where developments are not completed to the...
- Department of Social Protection
- Pension Fund Fees
79. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the legal penalties that will be imposed on the trustees of a scheme which enters in a double insolvency event; and if those penalties have ever been...
- Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility
81. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to revise the criteria associated with applications for jobseeker's assistance where the applicant has been self-employed; the current...
- Carer's Allowance Eligibility
84. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the benefits that are available to a person (details supplied) in County Meath who is a full-time carer; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Back to Education Allowance Eligibility
85. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person on the back to education allowance may take up unpaid work experience during the summer months without it affecting their social welfare...
- Jobs Initiative
86. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a full list of organisations that employed in the past or currently employed persons under the JobBridge-national internship...
- Community Development Initiatives
88. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has been involved in stakeholder consultations in regard to the proposed merger between Fingal Leader Partnership Company and...
- Rural Social Scheme Administration
90. To ask the Minister for Social Protection are there any plans to change the rural social scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18224/14]
- Rent Supplement Scheme Payments
91. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she is aware of the situation affecting tenants on local authority housing lists currently dependent on rent support which in...
- Youth Unemployment Measures
92. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which proposals to target youth unemployment are so far in place and effective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18240/14]
- Jobs Initiative
97. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the JobsPlus programme has attracted participants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18245/14]
- Carer's Allowance Appeals
98. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the degree to which the waiting period for the hearing of appeals in respect of various benefits/allowances has improved; the extent to which the...
- Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility
102. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the previously self-employed and currently unemployed have been able to access the relevant welfare payments; and if she will...
- Employment Support Services
103. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which community employment schemes, upskilling or training places are available to those currently on the live register or otherwise...
- State Pensions Reform
104. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm the availability of appropriate social welfare payment on retirement for persons aged 65 in the absence of a transitionary State...
- Social Welfare Appeals Data
105. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases referred to appeal in respect of invalidity pension, disability allowance or other health-related payments; the number of such...
- Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Commemorative Events
106. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to commemorate the speech by John Redmond at Woodenbridge, County Wicklow, the centenary of which occurs on 20 September...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Post Office Network
107. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the conditions that apply for the transfer of the position of postmaster or postmistress; if it is...
- Pension Provisions
108. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 428 of 14 September 2011, and No. 414 of 13 July 2012, and 359 of 4 December, and...
- Renewable Energy Generation Targets
109. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way in which he will ensure the stability and continued growth of the domestic renewables sector in view of the...
- Inland Fisheries Research Project
110. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will list the full titles of all items of research initiated on behalf of IFI, either separately or...
- Inland Fisheries
111. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 4 March 2014, the specific responsibilities which fall within the remit of...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Planning Issues
114. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the position regarding the taking in charge of estates by local authorities; if he accepts that the Planning...
- Local Authority Housing Provision
115. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if contact has been made by his Department with South Dublin County Council in respect of the future local authority...
- Irish Water Establishment
116. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide full details of public funding from the Exchequer, the National Pensions Reserve Fund or any other...
- Building Regulations Compliance
118. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of crumbling block work in houses in counties Donegal and Mayo, the remedy he intends to put in place in view of...
- Pyrite Remediation Programme Issues
119. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the audit being conducted on a number of the houses which submitted building conditions assessment as part...
- Water Meters Installation
120. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding water metering; if he will provide a detailed reply to the list...
- Proposed Legislation
121. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to create a licensing regulatory authority for the establishment and operation of cemeteries and crematoria,...
- Local Authority Housing Bonds
126. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address bond arrangements entered into by developers in order that they are sufficient to ensure the...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Pension Provisions
128. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that the Pensions Order 1925 is exhausted before any decision is made in relation to a special injury on duty pension. [18105/14]
- Registration of Title
129. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the help and assistance available to a person who bought a house off plans and when they sought to sell the house there was no property title on...
- Garda Investigations
130. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on investigations taking place into the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Garda Recruitment
131. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the options the Garda Reserve and full-time Garda recruits training in Templemore have in swearing allegiance to the State; if they may affirm;...
- Garda Vetting Applications
132. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to change the way the Garda vetting process operates in order that a person who has Garda vetting with one organisation can move to a...
- Garda Operations
133. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on Operation Fiacla. [18164/14]
- Personal Insolvency Practitioners
134. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide in tabular form on a county basis the numbers availing of the new personal insolvency options; the number of PIPS; and if he...
- Garda Retirements
135. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of An Gardaí Síochána by rank who have retired in 2013 and to date in 2014. [18200/14]
- Anti-Social Behaviour
136. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of anti-social behaviour orders that were served by members of An Garda Síochána in 2013 and to date in 2014. [18201/14]
- Garda Operations
137. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on Garda Operation Yard; the number of persons arrested and charged to date; the number of successful convictions obtained as...
- Crime Prevention
138. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding co-operation between the PSNI, An Garda Síochána and the revenue agencies on the island of Ireland; if he is...
- Crime Data
139. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding crime figures for County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18216/14]
- Department of Defence
- Departmental Correspondence
140. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Question No. 479 of 8 April 2014, in which he stated that he was satisfied that there are statutory and administrative procedures in place in the...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Agriculture Schemes Administration
141. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when applications will be taken for new GLAS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18101/14]
- Agriculture Schemes Eligibility
142. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person who is already in the agri-environment options scheme can apply to participate in the new GLAS scheme; and if he will...
- Forestry Sector
144. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an application for forestry planting approval will be granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [18171/14]
- Hare Coursing
145. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the six greyhounds that participated in this year's national hare coursing festival testing positive for banned...
- Forestry Grants
146. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing some form of grant aid for reconstitution of forestation (details supplied). [18210/14]
- Harbours and Piers Funding
147. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of all funding to piers and harbours in County Donegal for 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and...
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme Appeals
148. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of a rural environment protection scheme appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he...
- Department of Children and Youth Affairs
- Education Welfare Service Provision
149. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of individual children’s cases which have been brought to the Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency...
- Child Protection
150. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of child care orders sought; the number granted by location for each of the past five years and to date in 2014; and if she will...
- Youth Guarantee
151. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure voluntary youth organisations are involved in the roll out of the Youth Guarantee; and if she will make a statement on...
- Youth Services Funding
152. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a breakdown of all funding allocated to youth projects and preschools in County Donegal for years 2011, 2012 and 2013;...
- Department of Health
- Primary Care Centres Provision
153. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the construction of Edenmore primary health care centre in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18114/14]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
154. To ask the Minister for Health the numbers of persons on a daily basis who waited on trolleys in the accident and emergency of the University Hospital Limerick since 21 January 2014; and if...
- Respite Care Services
155. To ask the Minister for Health if the respite opportunities cut from the services provided for a person, details supplied, will be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
156. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding shoes in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [18135/14]
- Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage
157. To ask the Minister for Health if the sleep drug melatonin is covered by the long-term illness card scheme; if not, if and when a decision was taken to remove it from the scheme; the reason...
- Health Services Provision
158. To ask the Minister for Health if he will outline the full range of services which are available for persons diagnosed with Huntington's disease in the State by location; if the Cuan...
- Medical Card Reviews
159. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to make changes to the way medical cards are being reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18190/14]
- Ambulance Service Issues
160. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18192/14]
- Hospital Appointment Status
161. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding surgery in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18204/14]
- Medical Card Data
162. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of medical cards as of 1 April 2014; the total number of general practitioners cards on the same date; and the total number for each type of...
- Hospital Consultants Recruitment
163. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of consultants employed by Waterford Regional Hospital at end 2010, end 2011, end 2012, end 2013 and end March...
- Patient Transfers
164. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 the number of patients who were discharged-transferred from Waterford...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
165. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the extraordinary hike in day case and in-patient waiting lists at Waterford Regional Hospital in the year to October 2013 when there were 2,603...
- Medical Card Reviews
166. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review a medical card decision in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18235/14]
- Hospital Appointment Status
167. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive an appointment for an occupational assessment and for a hearing assessment; and if he will make...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Sports Capital Programme Applications
168. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding funding and grants for a club (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18174/14]
- Swimming Pool Projects
169. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in respect of the swimming pools programme, if he will provide a full list of completed projects; the projects that are under way; the...
- Taxi Regulations
170. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are specific guidelines or legal requirements for taxis in dealing with persons with physical disabilities such as wheelchair...
- Cross-Border Co-operation
172. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he has had with his counterpart, Minister Hammond, in the UK in order to seek an exemption for the A5 in Northern Ireland...
- Coast Guard Services
177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a total breakdown of spend on Coast Guard equipment and infrastructure for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 in County...
- Sports Capital Programme Applications
178. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding funding in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Kerry. [18226/14]
- Public Transport Issues
179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a response to a query regarding a hackney vehicle licence in respect of a person (details supplied) in County...
