Parliamentary questions

Land Issues

Mick Wallace

47. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to discuss enacting compulsory purchase orders to recover property from investment funds which may be land-banking sites which have the potential for development with the Department of Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11183/16]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Mick Wallace

50. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to discuss immediately transferring land from the National Asset Management Agency to local authorities to increase the supply of social housing with the Department of Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11182/16]

Social Welfare Application Forms

Mick Wallace

285. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering measures to provide financial assistance to applicants for social welfare payments who are currently required to provide a valuation of any unused land they may have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11467/16]

State Pensions

Mick Wallace

286. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider lowering the starting age for the State pension to 65 years of age to bring it in line with the general age of retirement; if his Department has carried out a financial impact assessment of such a measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11468/16]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Mick Wallace

287. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to raise limits under the rent supplement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11469/16]

Social Welfare Schemes

Mick Wallace

288. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will abolish the JobBridge scheme and replace it with targeted programmes aimed at specific groups, as advocated for by groups such as Impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11470/16]

Fiscal Policy

Mick Wallace

22. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his plans to seek a break from the European Union regarding the fiscal rules in order to secure finance to address the emergency in housing and homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10514/16]

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission

Mick Wallace

31. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied with the performance of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in its role as a confidential recipient; if she will improve this arrangement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10131/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Mick Wallace

41. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to her announcement in September 2015, to comment on Ireland's progress of resettling refugees; her engagement with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to this and, in particular, her progress in resettling unaccompanied minor refugees, which she highlighted as a special priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10130/16]

Teaching Qualifications

Mick Wallace

102. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the planned phasing out of regulation 3, which gives full recognition to Montessori teachers trained by the Association Montessori Internationale, by the St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland and those trained outside the Republic of Ireland, to teach in special schools, special classes, and resource classes; if she has been involved in talks on plans to reverse this decision; if she will consider such a reversal, given the added value provided by Montessori-trained teachers in these contexts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9280/16]

Home Repossessions Rate

Mick Wallace

105. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vacant family homes which were repossessed in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8943/16]

Home Repossessions Rate

Mick Wallace

106. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of non-vacant family homes which were repossessed following evictions in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8944/16]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Mick Wallace

373. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a promised new building (details supplied), including if she has announced a preferred tenderer; when construction will begin and if the project will be completed within the timeframe of the five-year school building programme announced in March 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8042/16]

Banking Sector Regulation

Mick Wallace

98. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on the recent International Monetary Fund warning that banks following the international financial reporting standards are systemically overvaluing their loan portfolio by recording profits on non-performing loans (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7386/16]

EU Directives

Mick Wallace

141. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if EU Directives 51 of 2003 and 34 of 2013 must first be transposed into law before they can become binding on banks and auditors; following on from this, if the domestic law of a member state can or cannot alter the content of Regulation 1606 of 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7388/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

284. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently on the waiting list for speech and language therapy in County Wexford; the number of these who have been on the waiting list for over a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7369/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

285. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently on the waiting list for speech and language therapy across the country; the number of these who have been on the waiting list for over a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7370/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

366. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number and the cost of new speech and language therapists he will recruit in 2016; the number who were recruited in 2015, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7806/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

367. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists the Health Service Executive employed on a full-time equivalent basis in County Wexford and nationally in each of the years 2007 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7807/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

368. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the funding currently allocated and the additional funding allocated in budget 2016 to speech and language therapy; the expenditure on speech and language therapy in 2014 and in 2015, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7808/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

369. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for speech and language therapy in primary care by age category, by area, and by time waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7809/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

370. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number and cost of employing speech and language therapists to work specifically in special schools in County Wexford, and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7810/16]

Speech and Language Therapy

Mick Wallace

371. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the urgent waiting list for speech and language therapy; the length of time they are waiting in County Wexford and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7811/16]

Defence Forces Expenditure

Mick Wallace

249. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Defence the cost of the presence of the Defence Forces at Shannon Airport protecting civilian troop carriers and military planes of the United States of America, by month in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6986/16]

Garda Deployment

Mick Wallace

338. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of having An Garda Síochána at Shannon Airport in County Clare protecting civilian troop carriers or military planes of the United States of America by month in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6988/16]

Health Care Professionals

Mick Wallace

375. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he or the Health Service Executive keep an official register of contacts or correspondence between State bodies or employees and pharmaceutical companies; if he will establish such a register, similar to one in place in the US; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6354/16]

Health Care Professionals

Mick Wallace

376. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he keeps a register of any health care professionals employed by the State who are also involved with pharmaceutical companies, for example, as members of boards; if he will provide details of such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6355/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

636. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of permits requested and granted by him in each of the years 2013 to 2015 for military aircraft to land at Shannon Airport, County Clare; the countries from which the requests came; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6984/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

858. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of US troops who transited through Shannon Airport in County Clare in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6977/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

859. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of permits requested and granted in 2015 for the carrying of munitions of war through Ireland or through Irish airspace; the countries that made these requests; and the airlines that requested the permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6978/16]

Banking Sector Regulation

Mick Wallace

175. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on claims by the chartered accountants regulatory board, who have stated that accounting standard IAS 39 forces banks to portray an inaccurate financial position; his further views that his assurances, provided in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 185 of 18 February 2014, that banks have not systemically overvalued loans in their published accounts could be misleading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6178/16]

EU Directives

Mick Wallace

220. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has updated Regulation (EC) 1606/2002, an international accounting standard, to reflect Article 4(3) of Directive 2013/34/EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5556/16]

Departmental Funding

Mick Wallace

581. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to mental health bodies in County Wexford in 2014 and 2015, including the amounts and the names of the relevant bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6179/16]

Departmental Funding

Mick Wallace

582. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the details of funding to drug treatment and awareness bodies in County Wexford in 2014 and in 2015, including the amounts and the the names of the relevant bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6180/16]

Proposed Legislation

Mick Wallace

583. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of a medically supervised injecting centre in County Dublin; the status of the relevant legislation; if he plans to establish such centres outside of County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6182/16]

Medicinal Products Data

Mick Wallace

584. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on prescriptions of specific serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, SSRI, and serotonin-noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors, SNRIs, and the number of persons who are prescribed SSRIs and SNRIs, according to the latest data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6183/16]

Health Services Staff Data

Mick Wallace

585. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of psychotherapists and psychiatrists he employs, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6184/16]

Diplomatic Representation

Mick Wallace

607. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had discussions with his counterpart in the Philippines regarding a person (details supplied) who has been under house arrest in the Philippines for almost three years; the measures he is taking in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5448/16]

Haulage Industry Regulation

Mick Wallace

572. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will introduce a motor tax on foreign hauliers in line with recent moves in Belgium and in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4854/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

Mick Wallace

68. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to put a 24-hour acute mental health unit in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3923/16]

Health Services Access

Mick Wallace

90. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health his views on the recent statistics from Health Consumer Powerhouse, which found Ireland to have the longest emergency department waiting times in Europe and placed Ireland second worst for access to specialists; the measures he is taking or planning to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3922/16]

Child Poverty

Mick Wallace

13. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the specific measures he is taking to tackle child poverty; the targets he on his own and in conjunction with other Departments has set for reducing child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3209/16]

Ombudsman for Children Remit

Mick Wallace

17. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will extend the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children in order that it can receive complaints from children in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3210/16]

Surveillance Operations

Mick Wallace

3. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the legislation regulating State surveillance measures, such as data retention, interception of communications and the use of surveillance and tracking devices, is sufficient to protect the privacy rights of Irish citizens; if she intends to strengthen this legislation in favour of citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3182/16]

Garda Promotions

Mick Wallace

17. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her reform programme has been successful to date; if she is satisfied with the manner in which promotions in An Garda Síochána are handled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3024/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

21. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has had discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Defence or the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in relation to any assessment of the risk to Ireland from a terrorist attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria due to the continued use by the military of the United States of America of Shannon Airport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3028/16]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

23. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has discussed carrying out of an assessment of the risk posed to Ireland by publicity surrounding the use by the military of the United States of America of Shannon Airport with the Garda Commissioner; if she supplied the results of any such assessment to the Tánaiste prior to her comments in the Dáil during Leader's Questions on 17 December 2015, when the Tánaiste asked this Deputy if he understood what the consequences of his statements in regard to US military use of Shannon might be in terms of the safety of people in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3026/16]

Garda Misconduct Allegations

Mick Wallace

25. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the nature of the further investigations proposed into those cases selected from the independent review mechanism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3027/16]

Garda Misconduct Allegations

Mick Wallace

31. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the recommendations of the independent review mechanism into historic cases of malpractice by An Garda Síochána, with particular reference to the number of cases where follow-on action was proposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3025/16]

Children in Care

Mick Wallace

125. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures he is taking to reduce the number of children who are in care but who have not yet received a written care plan, which according to the advocacy group, Empowering People in Care, currently stands at 604; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3329/16]