Results 2,361-2,380 of 5,269 for speaker:Joan Collins

Other Questions: Back to School Costs (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 24. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent Irish League of Credit Unions report showing that back-to-school costs have risen every year since 2012, with almost a third of parents getting into debt to cover the increasing expenses and some 13% of families cutting back on food spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23034/16]

Other Questions: Back to School Costs (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: I ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent Irish League of Credit Unions report showing that back to school costs have risen every year since 2012. The report says that back to school costs negatively impact 26% of household bill payments with 13% of parents saying they will have to sacrifice spending on food to cover these costs. It also says that only 14% of...

Other Questions: Back to School Costs (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: Can the Minister indicate how much that would reduce the cost of sending children to school? At the moment, the overall cost for a primary school student is €967 and for a secondary school student is €1,474. The back to school clothing and footwear allowance was reduced from €200 to €100 for four to eleven year olds and from €305 to €200 for 12 to...

Other Questions: Back to School Costs (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: According to the Irish League of Credit Unions report, in 2015 voluntary contributions for primary schools were an average of €77. This year they are also an average of €77 so the cost has not gone down. In 2015, the average cost of voluntary contributions in secondary schools was €147 and in 2016 it will be €160. They are not going down. There is another...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Schemes (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 129. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the financial assistance package and the proposed first-time buyer's grant are not being extended to first-time buyers who bought a home since the introduction of the Central Bank mortgage rules. [28612/16]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing for People with Disabilities Provision (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 243. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the building of social housing with wheelchair access is included in the Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28614/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (4 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 474. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether personal assistance hours for persons with disabilities need to be increased by at least an additional 500,000 hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28619/16]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 13. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the required funding for the provision of local authority housing in the Dublin City Council administrative area with reference to the Rebuilding Ireland action plan, which acknowledges the extent of the homelessness and housing crisis in Dublin city; the source of funding available to the council by way of grants...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: This is a sort of follow-on from the previous questions. It is no accident that every question we have had to date has been on housing.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: Yes, it is one of the biggest issues we are facing in this country. I think it should be registered here that it is an emergency rather than a crisis. My question relates to the funding and grant levels being allocated to Dublin City Council through the Rebuilding Ireland action plan. How much money has been allocated to date? How much money does the Minister envisage will be allocated in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: According to the September report of the housing committee in Dublin City Council, 314 houses have been completed to date, including housing body units. Given that 23,000 people are on the housing waiting list and given the crisis relating to homeless families, Dublin City Council will need far more funding. This goes back to the question earlier relating to O'Devaney Gardens. A motion...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: Is the target for Dublin City Council to have 23,000 houses built over the next five years? The Minister referred to Dublin City Council meeting its targets. What are the council's targets for this year? A total of 314 units have been completed and 23,000 families are on the waiting list. Are we saying the targets are going to be met depending on the need? I am not hearing that. The...

Other Questions: Housing Finance Agency Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 14. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to set out the amount which has been drawn down from the €300 million Housing Finance Agency fund; the approved housing bodies and local authorities which have drawn down moneys from the fund; the purposes of each drawdown, that is, whether for social housing build or upgrading social housing; and if he will...

Other Questions: Housing Finance Agency Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: What is situation with the €300 million in the Housing Finance Agency fund? Is it being used? If so, who by? What is it being used for? To date, what percentage of that money has been drawn down for social housing?

Other Questions: Housing Finance Agency Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: I thank the Minister for the reply. Is the Minister saying that €34 million has been drawn down to date? I understood a figure of €233 million had been drawn down. Will the Minister clarify the position?

Other Questions: Housing Finance Agency Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: Does the Minister expect to apply for the other tranche from the European Investment Bank when that money is drawn down, has been committed or the 29 projects have received consent to go ahead? The Minister has suggested the timeline for this is the end of next year. Does the Minister envisage that by 2018 there will be another drawdown from the European Investment Bank of €200...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 essentially tidies up a number of matters in four key areas. Part 2 of the Bill seeks to amend the Irish Medicines Board Act to give the Minister the power to pay a fee to all the board members of the Health Products Regulatory Authority. The Department of Health has indicated that this proposed due to an inconsistency in legislation but will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 48. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the negotiations between the Irish League of Credit Unions, the Central Bank, the Department of Finance and his Department since 1 June 2016 in relation to the ILCU's offer of €2 billion to facilitate the building of social housing. [28422/16]

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: I thank Dr. Burke. One of my questions was the one Deputy Louise O'Reilly raised regarding the NHS legislation and whether it should be brought in initially. She was very adamant that it would have to be the case. The committee is established to be evidence based regarding what is the best health service for our country. Reports such as this are very important for us to see the evidence...

Other Questions: JobPath Implementation (6 Oct 2016)

Joan Collins: 6. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is within the remit of the JobPath scheme to send persons forward for jobs that they are not legally qualified for, with the result that the JobPath participant will have to pay a substantial amount to gain the qualification and take up the job on offer. [28784/16]