Parliamentary questions

Defence Forces Recruitment

Áine Collins

480. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Defence if colour blindness debars applications for the Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces; the criteria used in debarring members having regard to the fact that colour blindness does not debar admission for application to An Garda Síochána and other military forces such as the British Army and United States Army. [41571/14]

Defence Forces Recruitment

Áine Collins

481. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Defence if the military authorities will accept medical tests for colour blindness other than the Ishihara test plates such as the Holmes-Wright lantern and City University vision test, having regard to the fact that An Garda Síochána accepts applicants who have failed the Ishihara test plates but passed the City University vision test. [41572/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

102. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay of a payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [39673/14]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Áine Collins

8. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a community employment supervisor who is funded by her Department is forced to retire when he or she reaches the age of 66; the reason this is the case when, under Irish law, there is no mandatory retirement age. [39404/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

45. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a disadvantaged area payment. [39410/14]

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Eligibility

Áine Collins

39. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has been refused back to school clothing and footwear allowance. [38385/14]

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

236. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) is not in receipt of their headage payment, single farm payment or calf premium payment. [37893/14]

Wildlife Protection

Áine Collins

215. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding a hen harrier payment in respect of a person (details supplied). [36146/14]

Thatching Grants Eligibility

Áine Collins

555. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who wishes to re-roof and maintain a thatched cottage; her views on the level of funding under the built heritage job leverage scheme and the thatching grant administered by her Department. [35598/14]

Rural Transport Programme

Áine Collins

742. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the restructuring of the rural transport programme into the 18 transport co-ordination units, if he anticipates that there will be job losses; and if so, the redundancy that will be put in place. [31048/14]

Medical Card Delays

Áine Collins

168. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in issuing an emergency medical card in respect of a person (details supplied). [26163/14]

Medical Card Eligibility

Áine Collins

173. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason a discretionary medical card was withdrawn in respect of a person (details supplied). [21624/14]

School Accommodation

Áine Collins

193. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding funding for extra accommodation in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [19219/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Áine Collins

464. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm whether a person who has received notification from a building society that the mortgage is unsustainable and the home must be sold is entitled to apply for inclusion on the council social housing list. [18939/14]

Building Regulations Application

Áine Collins

511. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to new building regulations, the process in place to allow existing long term practitioners to be certified by his Department in order that they can comply with new regulations. [19633/14]

Tax Code

Áine Collins

660. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of any tax incentives available to landowners leasing-renting their land for conacre. [19220/14]

Forestry Grants

Áine Collins

146. Deputy Áine Collins asked 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]

Public Transport

Áine Collins

179. Deputy Áine Collins asked 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 Cork. [18230/14]

Property Tax Exemptions

Áine Collins

156. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person who received a serious brain injury and did not receive compensation because the accident happened on his own property is not exempt from local property tax in the same way as someone who received a serious brain injury in an accident in which they received compensation. [15021/14]

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Áine Collins

776. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a charge is stuck out, if no reference to it will appear on a Garda vetting report (details supplied). [13606/14]

Social Insurance

Áine Collins

228. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to address the issue which has arisen from budget 2014, where persons who take up a Tús scheme, due to the €20 extra to help with costs, now find themselves in a higher PRSI contribution bracket, and are financially worse off for taking up the scheme. [11540/14]

Social Welfare Payments Administration

Áine Collins

95. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the concern expressed, if she has since instructed her Department to change the format of letters being sent to social welfare recipients (details supplied). [11075/14]

Firearms Licences

Áine Collins

521. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if An Garda Síochána and his Department are engaged in a joint consideration in respect of firearms licensing matters; if so, the stage the process is at; and the reason he considers that a review is necessary at this stage. [9245/14]

Hospital Appointment Delays

Áine Collins

685. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork who is ill and who urgently requires cataract treatment has to wait for a preliminary appointment until April 2015, despite the fact that substantial medical-psychiatric evidence has been submitted by their doctors. [9360/14]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Áine Collins

55. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Finance if he will direct the Revenue Commissioners to be flexible on a case-by-case basis in their approach to the type of vehicle, particularly the engine size criteria, as the current regulation of 2,000 cc does not suit certain specific applicants, that is, farmers who need 3 litres plus engines to enable them to participate to some extent in family farm work. [7105/14]

Early Childhood Care Education

Áine Collins

550. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received the higher capitation grant for the early childhood care and education free preschool year. [6416/14]

Orthodontic Service Provision

Áine Collins

574. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an orthodontic appointment in respect of a person (details supplied). [6217/14]

Grant Aid

Áine Collins

176. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the recently announced 60% building grant aid for young farmers will be available and the qualifying criteria for same. [4687/14]

Grant Aid

Áine Collins

177. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the newly announced 40% grant for milking equipment scheme will commence. [4688/14]

Departmental Offices

Áine Collins

83. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a new office for Government procurement will be set up in County Cork; and to set out how staff will be appointed to such an office. [3076/14]

Vehicle Registration

Áine Collins

68. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Finance the way persons will be able to fulfil a requirement if a list of authorised dealers in not available (details supplied). [2069/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

703. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on a 2012 disadvantaged areas scheme payment appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [1751/14]

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Appeals

Áine Collins

706. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the appeal against claw-back imposed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [1765/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Áine Collins

201. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action that can be taken to extend the national broadband service to a person (details supplied) in County Cork to ensure they get the service they need in order to stay in business. [54899/13]

Broadband Service Provision

Áine Collins

202. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action that can be taken to improve the Internet connection in an area (details supplied) to ensure the service required in order to stay in business. [54902/13]

Constitutional Amendments

Áine Collins

120. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the need to hold a referendum in relation to legislation to allow same sex marriage. [51173/13]

Fuel Allowance Eligibility

Áine Collins

120. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 19 November 2013, the reason she classified a person's income as employment when it has been clearly shown that they are on a community employment scheme, which entitles them to jobseeker's allowance plus €20. [50982/13]

Fuel Allowance Eligibility

Áine Collins

326. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that persons on jobseeker's allowance are losing fuel allowance because they take up a place on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49111/13]

Hospital Appointments Administration

Áine Collins

463. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health when an alternative hospital appointment will be arranged in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [48105/13]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

879. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [45990/13]

Forestry Sector

Áine Collins

192. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who are not allowed forestation on their lands because of the hen harrier will be compensated. [44914/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Áine Collins

482. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork may expect to have their hip replacement surgery. [44130/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Áine Collins

483. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork may expect their knee surgery at Cappagh Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin. [44131/13]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

305. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when persons (details supplied) will receive a disadvantaged areas payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43011/13]

Ferry Services Provision

Áine Collins

450. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the EU or national incentives there may be for entrepreneurs who are investigating the possibility of establishing a ferry link between Cork and Gizon in northern Spain to facilitate the large volume of freight and tourist traffic that currently have to drive on French and English roads. [43125/13]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Áine Collins

175. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the payments that have been made to a person (details supplied). [42917/13]

Freedom of Information Legislation

Áine Collins

270. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the fact that the new freedom of information Act will now include organisations that are currently substantially funded by the State, if this will include voluntary housing agencies. [41802/13]

Voluntary Housing Sector Issues

Áine Collins

376. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he intends to link in the voluntary housing sector with the new structures being established at local authority level. [41800/13]

Voluntary Housing Sector Issues

Áine Collins

377. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the balance of money outstanding will be paid to an organisation (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41805/13]

Road Tolls

Áine Collins

755. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the UK-Northern Ireland will be introducing a time-based road user charge in April 2014 to be paid by all HGVs weighing 12 tonnes or more when using the UK-Northern Ireland road network, irrespective of the vehicle's country of registration; his views on the adverse competitive impact this will have on Irish hauliers exporting to our main trading partner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35979/13]