Parliamentary questions

Irish Water Establishment

John Halligan

528. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his views on whether the recent data protection breach in Irish Water is unacceptable; his further views on whether this should be the final nail in the coffin of Irish Water; the right the company had to request a person's individual PPS number in view of the fact that no other utility provider here operates using a PPS number system; the authority under which the personal information pertaining to individual homeowners was made available to Irish Water; his views on whether the movement in the country against the implementation of water charges is growing to such a level that can no longer be ignored by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46024/14]

Hospitals Building Programme

John Halligan

126. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if the design team has been appointed for the 100-bed unit at St. Patrick's geriatric hospital, John's Hill, County Waterford; if the money has been ring fenced for the building of this much needed facility for the local area; the timeframe that has been set out for the construction and completion of the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45580/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Administration

John Halligan

142. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health to set out his views regarding the alarming figures that show an escalation in fair deal waiting lists since the fair deal budget was cut earlier this year; his views on whether the waiting lists for financial approval have increased by 25% since July 2014 compared with 2007; if he will resolve this financial crisis and further commit to providing additional staffing assistance to deal with the backlog that has been created; his views on whether four months is an unacceptable waiting period for the elderly in our communities who are desperately seeking accommodation under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40165/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

John Halligan

50. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to her reply to Priority Questions on 21 October 2014 that on average rent allowance applications made in County Waterford are being processed on average within five to ten days, if she will confirm the number of rent allowance applications received within the first six months of 2014; the percentage of those applications that were processed and approved within five to ten days; the percentage that took in excess of three months to process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41205/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

John Halligan

51. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the revised monthly rental limits seek only to preclude certain properties from the rental pool and should have no bearing on the calculation of rent allowance; whether the rent allowance payable should be calculated based on family size and means assessed regardless of the property itself; her plans to abolish the revised monthly rental limits; whether this would in turn permit applicants to rent properties they see fit irrespective of the monthly rent and would ease the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41388/14]

Property Tax Exemptions

John Halligan

67. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if the Catholic Church is exempt from paying property tax as it is a registered charity which results in an estimated loss to the State of in the region of €1.5 million per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42654/14]

Nursing Home Services

John Halligan

190. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on the waiting list for the fair deal scheme in County Waterford; the average waiting time currently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41204/14]

Health Services

John Halligan

191. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the reason the grant available for cancer patients to recoup monies paid for wigs varies so radically from county to county with the maximum grant, as per the Health Service Executive website, available being €635 per year and the HSE in Waterford only granting a maximum of €220 twice per year with a six month interim period between claims; his views on whether the grant available for such items should be standard throughout the country; if he will review the inconsistencies within the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41387/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

John Halligan

213. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm where a child currently in primary school who has been assessed with a diagnosis of severe ADHD and is in receipt of an special needs assistant is progressing to secondary level, if a reassessment of the SNA requirements is necessary or will the provision of an SNA be automatic upon entry to second level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41479/14]

Household Charge Exemptions

John Halligan

237. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Catholic Church is exempt from paying household tax as it is a registered charity, which results in an estimated loss to the State of in the region of €1.5 million per year; if the Catholic Church's status as a charity would further exempt it from paying water charges; if so, the estimated loss to the State this would represent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42653/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

John Halligan

80. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps she has taken to mitigate the shortcomings in the rent supplement section; her views that particularly in County Waterford the revised monthly rental limits are decidedly below the average rents being charged by landlords and that rents in the area are on the increase; her further views that more landlords are refusing to accept tenants who indicate that they will be making an application for rent supplement due to the massive delays in processing these applications; her views that this is resulting in more families finding it impossible to source adequate accommodation within the monthly rental limits and find themselves verging on homelessness as a result; if she will make a commitment to increase the staffing levels in the rent supplement section in Waterford to address the serious backlog which now exists; if she will review the process by which an applicant already in receipt of rent supplement wishes to change address and reapply for assistance, as it would reduce processing times if any supplementary application could be processed on the basis of a reassessment of the new property and not a full reassessment of the person where the applicant may confirm that their circumstances aside from address have not altered; if she will review both the monthly rental limits in the County Waterford area and also the process by which the applications are assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40164/14]

Social Welfare Appeals

John Halligan

82. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way in which a social welfare inspector may refuse an application for jobseeker's allowance and make a negative decision where there is an active outstanding unfair dismissal claim being made by the applicant, particularly where the applicant has the full backing of his or her union; her views that the position in law is that all dismissals are unfair and it is for the employer to prove otherwise, therefore any application for social welfare assistance should be processed on that basis and any further review of the claim postponed pending the outcome of the unfair dismissal claim; if she will review this decision in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40166/14]

Pension Provisions

John Halligan

173. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on making a provision for the backdating of credits for women who took time out from the workforce prior to 1994 - when the homemaker scheme was introduced - to raise their families in order to enable those women to accumulate the required 520 contributions to qualify for the full State pension; the number of women that would be affected by this backdating; her views that this will have a very serious impact on these women's retirement income; the cost to the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40252/14]

Social Welfare Fraud Data

John Halligan

174. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made to date in the recovery of social welfare payments which have been found to have been fraudulently procured from her Department; the moneys that have been recovered since she took office; her views on the effectiveness of the introduction of biometric public service cards in stamping out fraudulent claims; the inroads that have been made with regard to the setting up of the new Garda unit within her Department; if this unit is now fully operational; the level of access to public service records this unit will be afforded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40253/14]

Employment Support Services

John Halligan

175. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that the introduction of the JobBridge scheme is an exercise in reducing the numbers on the live register to imply a marked decrease in the level of social welfare assistance being provided by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40254/14]

Medical Card Eligibility

John Halligan

459. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that there is an automatic entitlement to medical cards where the applicant and their family are solely dependent on social welfare payments, his views that it is fair and just that where an adjustment has been made to a social protection payment due to a means assessment, that this would in turn preclude them from their entitlement to a medical card even though their income remains the same, as it would be, were they solely in receipt of a social protection payment in respect of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40167/14]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

John Halligan

556. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether increased rents are now the main cause of increased homelessness here; his views on whether the reduction in capital spending on social housing between 2007 to 2012, which is estimated to be in the region of 70%, is a driving force resulting in increased levels of homelessness; if the use of National Asset Management Agency-controlled properties as affordable accommodation could be considered, perhaps even as an interim measure; the portion of NAMA's housing stock that would be suitable for use as affordable accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40256/14]

HSE Staff

John Halligan

384. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health his views that the current moratorium on jobs within the Health Service Executive is having a serious effect on the services provided in the south east; his further views since circa 2011 there has been no speech and language therapist in the rehabilitation facility in Waterford for patients leaving Waterford Regional Hospital; if he will review the terms of the moratorium and provide funding to allow a number of posts to be funded within the region; the way in which he plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38204/14]

Insurance Industry Regulation

John Halligan

84. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 155 of 6 May 2014, if he will provide an update in relation to the Setanta Insurance issue; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are numerous persons in County Waterford and indeed across the country who have been left in a terrible position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37603/14]

Road Safety

John Halligan

3. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of his clearly stated priority to keep road fatalities and injuries down and taking into account the fact that alcohol is estimated to be a contributory factor in at least one in three fatal road collisions, if he will undertake to examine the proposals of the Brendan’s Law campaign to introduce mandatory penalties for drink drivers in fatal accidents and to automatically suspend the licence of a driver involved in a fatal accident who subsequently fails a breathalyser test; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that several other countries in the European Union already follow these stipulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37072/14]

Airport Development Projects

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Priority Question No. 3 of 26 June 2014, if the land purchase for the runway and safety areas at Waterford Airport had been delayed and the CPO process had been referred for arbitration on 26 August 2014; the outcome of the said arbitration; if it has been successfully completed; if the land purchase is now scheduled to be undertaken; if so, when will the CPO process begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37073/14]

National Lottery Funding Disbursement

John Halligan

8. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the criteria that are applied when deciding the way national lottery funding is distributed within organisations here; the proportion of these funds allocated to sports organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36800/14]

Roads Maintenance Funding

John Halligan

9. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional once off funding will be made available to Waterford County Council to facilitate the regeneration of the roads and footpaths in various estates across the region to bring them up to an acceptable standard; his views that there are many older estates throughout the country which have been taken in charge that have fallen into serious disrepair and are in desperate need of attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36802/14]

Community Involvement Scheme

John Halligan

16. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide the necessary 80% funding available under a community involvement scheme if an application were to be made by parishes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36798/14]

Tourism Data

John Halligan

22. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of recent indications that an economic recovery is being experienced within the Irish market, if he will provide the volume of tourists who have visited here in the years 2011, 2012, and 2013; the efforts that have been made by his Department to encourage increased numbers of visitors to the south east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36801/14]

Road Tolls

John Halligan

25. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of annual revenue that is derived from the toll plaza in County Waterford; the amount of this annual revenue that is reinvested directly into Waterford city and county; the way this revenue is reinvested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36799/14]

School Transport Administration

John Halligan

153. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm if all of the recent issues surrounding the school transport scheme which necessitated the setting up of a dedicated help line have been resolved in full; the steps that have been taken to ensure that these issues do not repeat next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37075/14]

Bus Éireann Services

John Halligan

196. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the proposed privatisation of Bus Éireann; his further views that it would lead to a more efficient service in view of the history of privatisation that has shown that the primary objective is always increased revenue generation and not fee reduction; if he will confirm the impact this privatisation would have on the free travel scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37074/14]

Animal Welfare

John Halligan

236. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to recent graphic footage which has appeared online and in a newspaper (details supplied) apparently showing the torture of a fox at the hands of hunters' dogs in County Waterford; his plans to follow the United Kingdom decision to outlaw the hunting of foxes with dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36579/14]

Visa Applications

John Halligan

266. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position in respect of visa entry to Ireland to a non-EU national who is married to an Irish citizen (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36915/14]

Palliative Care Services

John Halligan

354. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the progress of the provision of services in the palliative care unit in University Hospital Waterford; the timeframe of the progression to date; when he expects the unit will be operational and offering vital services to the local community in the south east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36622/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

John Halligan

59. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on whether in certain circumstances where an applicant is marginally in excess of the income guidelines it may be unfair for the means assessed against them to be applied across the board to each application in isolation resulting in the applicant not being entitled to any of the payments whereas a person marginally below the income guidelines where the same criteria are applied would be entitled to all forms of assistance; her views on whether it is time to review the means assessment guidelines with a view to assessing an applicant's overall social welfare requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36433/14]

VAT Rate Reductions

John Halligan

88. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance his views on the increasing popularity of both social and popular media and that the print media sector in general have been coming under more and more pressure of late as the availability of free news items has adversely affected their trade (details supplied); his further views that this sector has benefitted greatly from the reduced VAT rate of 9% and that it is essential for its survival, particularly the survival of the smaller family run print businesses that this reduced rate remain in place for the forceable future; if he will not increase the VAT rate in the upcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36431/14]

Services for People with Disabilities

John Halligan

172. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the level of funding which is being made available for residential placement in County Waterford; if it is acceptable for a parent now entering their 70th year to wait nine years for a residential placement for their son in view of the fact that their health is now failing and that their son has apparently been on a prioritised waiting list for the duration of this period; if he will acknowledge the serious shortfall within this sector of his Department and recognise the unacceptable position this person has been forced into; if he will now commit to calling for a full review by his Department of procedures and funding availability within this sector of his Department and if he will make the necessary funding available in order for this person's son to be adequately accommodated within the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36434/14]

Water Charges Administration

John Halligan

269. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will, in the context of water charges, consider making an additional allowance available to families who care for a family member on a full-time basis but do not, for various reasons, meet the criteria for a formal carer's allowance payment; if he will acknowledge that there are many such families struggling to maintain a family life for their children while caring for an elderly or infirm relative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36432/14]

Water Supply Contamination

John Halligan

270. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of lead piping within residential properties situated in Waterford city and county; if it will be part of the metering contract to replace any existing lead piping, particularly where the property is owned by the local authority; where it is acknowledged by the local authority that lead piping is in existence within a property and the solution put forward by it to the resident is to flush the cold water tap prior to use, filling the kitchen sink and discarding flushing of 20 to 30 litres, on average, of unused water, perhaps as often as three to four times per day, if he will be offering an additional usage allowance for these families (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36435/14]

Services for People with Disabilities

John Halligan

452. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the cuts to funding for the Irish Deaf Society will be reinstated; if he and his Department aware of the impact these cuts are having on the deaf community; if he is considering reviewing the funding they receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30973/14]

Corporate Tax Compliance

John Halligan

139. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance the amount of corporation tax a company (details supplied) in County Waterford has paid to the State in the past five years; the percentage of its overall profit this represents; if he will provide a full year-by-year breakdown; his views on whether corporation tax has been paid at the correct level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28273/14]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

John Halligan

242. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will look into the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the methodology used by her Department in the calculation of notional income in respect of adult dependant applications for old age pensions; if she will acknowledge that the method of calculation currently used is flawed and generally does not represent a true reflection of an applicant's notional income for the purposes of assessment; if she will commit to having the shortfalls in the methodology assessed to ascertain if there would be a better process that could be followed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28274/14]

Anti-Social Behaviour

John Halligan

325. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 382 of 11 February 2014, in strengthening the powers given to local authorities to deal with instances of anti-social behaviour the way this will impact on the day-to-day administration within housing offices across the country; his views on how effective or ineffective current measures are; the powers that will be given to the local authorities; the estimated time frame for the delivery of these strengthened powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28271/14]

Traveller Community

John Halligan

326. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 689 of 25 March 2014, if he will ring-fence Traveller funds to ensure they will be used to fund Traveller projects; if he will confirm the NTP will be able to draw down this money for local Traveller organisations; his views that without local Traveller-led projects Travellers will be further marginalised; if he will acknowledge that it is vital that the community development work which has taken place of the last number of years is not lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28272/14]

Medical Card Eligibility

John Halligan

535. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if, as per his announcement recently that all discretionary medical cards removed under review since June, 2011 will be reinstated, if his instructions have been formally forwarded to PCRS as they seem to be unaware of how and when this process will commence; the process involved; if some discretionary cards will not be reinstated; if not the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28275/14]

Airport Development Projects

John Halligan

3. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update regarding the €400,000 grant which his Department pledged towards a €150 million extension of the runway at Waterford Airport last August, subject to the airport itself raising a further €850,000 through private sources and local authorities; if all necessary moneys have now been raised to allow work to proceed; if the departmental grant of €400,000 has already been drawn down, and used for the compulsory purchase order of 18 acres of land required to facilitate the extension; the timeframe in which he expects the extension works to be completed; what will happen to the departmental grant if the €850,000 is not raised by the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27416/14]

Tourism Promotion

John Halligan

20. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on an official Fáilte Ireland tour map (details supplied) which is widely distributed to American holiday makers travelling here; his views on whether the people of the south east of Ireland, in particular County Waterford, are adequately represented by this: if he will make a commitment to directing Fáilte Ireland to include Waterford in any further publication of this nature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27379/14]

Sports Capital Programme Application Numbers

John Halligan

23. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications received by his Department this year under the sports capital grants scheme; if he will indicate the timescale for completion of the application process; when he expects to be in a position to confirm the applications that have been deemed successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27378/14]

The Gathering Revenue

John Halligan

31. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the success of The Gathering 2013 in terms of tourism generated and the promotion of Ireland to the world; the amount of Government funding allocated to the promotion of The Gathering 2013; the estimated revenue directly generated as a result of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27377/14]

Public Transport

John Halligan

219. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the recent widespread opposition to proposals to privatise Bus Éireann, if the National Transport Authority has begun a consultation process with the trade unions, as the Minister previously indicated it would; his views that the current Government policy of tendering out 10% of Bus Éireann has disproportionately targeted Waterford where 100% of the city's services are being hived off to the private sector at the expense of the travelling public and staff; his views that by targeting Waterford city there is a real risk due to economies of scale of the entire Bus Éireann operation at Waterford being lost, resulting in yet more job losses which the city could not sustain and a depleted service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27417/14]

Proposed Legislation

John Halligan

76. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will support legislation to introduce new rules, protocols and rules of disclosure in cases of medical negligence at birth, to avert the enormous stress and lengthy litigation being brought upon families who take such cases and to ensure that they receive money at an early stage, when it is most needed for their child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21354/14]

Community Development Initiatives

John Halligan

390. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following on from the recent announcement by him that the proposed social inclusion community activation programme will replace the current community development programme, if he will consider permitting national organisations tender for work as this may have a detrimental effect on local community groups who currently operate on a national collective level; alternatively if he will commit to ring fencing funding locally for groups at a level at which they have been operating successfully under the community development programmes for the past number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27204/14]

Hospital Facilities

John Halligan

535. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the reason University Hospital Waterford is one of only very few hospitals in Ireland which do not have a designated play area for the paediatrics unit in the hospital. [26655/14]