Parliamentary questions

Housing Issues

Ruth Coppinger

223. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of the relevant legislation governing short stay rental accommodation providers, such as (details supplied); the need for reforms to this legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17031/17]

Approved Housing Bodies

Ruth Coppinger

224. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of information on estate management fees payable by tenants living in social housing managed by approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17032/17]

Housing Policy

Ruth Coppinger

225. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the main differences in the way in which local authorities and approved housing bodies select or approve tenants; the legal basis for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17033/17]

Housing Provision

Ruth Coppinger

226. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 497 of 17 January 2017, the details of the 4,698 AHB new build units to be completed under the Rebuilding Ireland plan, showing the number of new build units to be completed by each AHB by 2021, in tabular form. [17034/17]

Housing Assistance Payment Data

Ruth Coppinger

227. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of first, second and third time HAP, housing assistance payment, tenancies set up each year since the scheme was introduced in tabular form; the number of first HAP tenancies still in place; and the average tenancy length to date of HAP tenancies. [17035/17]

Bank Branch Closures

Ruth Coppinger

58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on discussions he has had with a bank (details supplied) recently. [16417/17]

Medicinal Products Prices

Ruth Coppinger

486. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse the decision in 2012 to remove gluten-free products from the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16125/17]

Organ Transplant Services

Ruth Coppinger

534. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will expand the availability of organ transplant services for children here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16347/17]

Organ Donation

Ruth Coppinger

535. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to increase the level of organ donation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16348/17]

Organ Donation

Ruth Coppinger

536. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on opt-out basis as opposed to opt-in basis for organ donation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16349/17]

Road Traffic Offences

Ruth Coppinger

22. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the remedy there will be for 14,700 persons wrongly convicted of road traffic offences due to errors in Garda records; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15753/17]

Asylum Support Services

Ruth Coppinger

58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the implementation of the provisions of the International Protection Act 2015; if she is satisfied that asylum seekers are gaining access to sufficient legal advice and translation services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15752/17]

Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility

Ruth Coppinger

173. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will change the regulations so persons applying for jobseeker's benefit payments will be assessed on the most recent complete tax year, in order to end the inequity of contributions made by employees in the previous year not being taken into account when calculating jobseeker's benefit, for example, the relevant tax year for jobseeker's benefit applications in 2017 is 2015 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15829/17]

Bank Branch Closures

Ruth Coppinger

79. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the contact he had with a bank (details supplied) regarding the announcement of branch closures and jobs losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15646/17]

Bank Branch Closures

Ruth Coppinger

80. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance his views on the impact of branch closures of a bank (details supplied) on the availability of banking services to persons here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15647/17]

Bank Branch Closures

Ruth Coppinger

81. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance if he will meet with the Financial Services Union regarding the branch closures and job losses announced in a bank (details suppled). [15648/17]

Job Losses

Ruth Coppinger

199. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the measures she will take regarding the announced 220 job losses in a bank (details supplied); if she will meet the bank and the Financial Services Union regarding this threat to employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15649/17]

Government-Church Dialogue

Ruth Coppinger

1. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with religious leaders. [13920/17]

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Ruth Coppinger

6. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach his plans for referendums on constitutional amendments; and the issues that may be dealt with. [15211/17]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Ruth Coppinger

50. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the establishment of a truth commission relating to institutions such as mother and baby institutions, industrial schools, county homes, and Magdalen laundries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15207/17]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Ruth Coppinger

59. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on her discussions on revealing and establishing the truth concerning institutions such as Magdalen laundries and mother and baby institutions; the expected timeframe for a process in respect of this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15208/17]

School Playgrounds

Ruth Coppinger

146. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the situation faced by a school (details supplied) and in particular, the shortage of school yard space allocation; the measures he is taking to resolve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14900/17]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

273. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the preparations being made for the seasonal increase in the volume of passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15126/17]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

274. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will employ extra staff in the Passport Office in view of the expected increase in the volume of passport applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15127/17]

Passport Applications

Ruth Coppinger

275. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the circumstances under which a person applying for a passport can have an application expedited; and the process in place for such cases. [15128/17]

Passport Data

Ruth Coppinger

276. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport cards issued in the years 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017; his plans to promote this service; and his further plans to make reforms to this service. [15129/17]

Diaspora Issues

Ruth Coppinger

589. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps being taken in the diaspora policy to engage and support the Irish LGBT plus community abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12974/17]

Abortion Services Provision

Ruth Coppinger

17. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on allowing access to abortion in circumstances in which a woman's physical or mental health is at risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12199/17]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Ruth Coppinger

38. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will address the case of a person (details supplied) with a pharmaceutical company; his views on the national plan for rare diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12076/17]

Maternity Services Provision

Ruth Coppinger

64. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on the lack of access to scans for pregnant women; his plans to enable access for all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12074/17]

Medicinal Products Prices

Ruth Coppinger

90. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce the high prices charged by pharmaceutical companies for essential medicines; if any additional leverage can be exerted on companies with operations here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12075/17]

HIV-AIDS Programmes

Ruth Coppinger

102. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, to prevent HIV transmissions, in view of the continuing rise in infections in 2016 and the fact that ten persons a week are now contracting HIV and the effectiveness of PrEP in dramatically reducing HIV transmissions in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12072/17]

Abortion Services Provision

Ruth Coppinger

111. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on allowing access to the abortion pill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12073/17]

Rural Transport Services Provision

Ruth Coppinger

46. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has made representations to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an increased subsidy to Bus Éireann and to the Minister for Social Protection for an increased contribution to cover the cost of free travel in order to safeguard rural public transport connectivity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11748/17]

Mortgage Interest Rates

Ruth Coppinger

147. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the measures he will take to reduce the interest rates being charged by the so-called subprime mortgage lenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11218/17]

Traveller Education

Ruth Coppinger

244. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to ensure Traveller history and culture features in the national curriculum in view of the recognition of the Traveller community as an ethnic group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12160/17]

Industrial Disputes

Ruth Coppinger

641. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if his Department will support a settlement with nurses and other health care workers who are due to take industrial action on 7 March 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10625/17]

Public Sector Pay

Ruth Coppinger

21. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his Department's progress in bringing to an end the two tier pay system that exists across the public service to the detriment of more recent entrants to the public service. [10626/17]

School Patronage

Ruth Coppinger

58. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the consultation with Educate Together and with persons regarding the plans to change the patronage of schools in line with the programme for Government commitments. [10807/17]

School Patronage

Ruth Coppinger

59. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if religious instruction and faith formation lessons in newly divested schools will be taking place outside of core school hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10808/17]

Third Level Fees

Ruth Coppinger

87. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will oppose an end to the free fees scheme and abolish the student registration charges in view of the recent figures on the number of students in receipt of grants in third level institutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10972/17]

Medical Card Eligibility

Ruth Coppinger

186. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health when he will make medical cards available to persons in receipt of domiciliary care allowance without the requirement of a means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10854/17]

State Examinations

Ruth Coppinger

27. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the junior certificate English examination, in view of the industrial relations dispute with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10413/17]

School Patronage

Ruth Coppinger

61. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the process for awarding patronage of new secondary schools in the Dublin 15 area; if the diversity in the population was considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10412/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Ruth Coppinger

5. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach further to Parliamentary Question No. 1 of 24 January 2017, when the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Justice Reform will take place. [8460/17]

NAMA Portfolio

Ruth Coppinger

72. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the public support for the Apollo House occupation, he will support making all remaining suitable NAMA lands available for social and affordable housing and allocating NAMA’s cash reserves towards the provision of social and affordable housing. [2177/17]

NAMA Property Sales

Ruth Coppinger

77. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance his views on the concentration in ownership of residential development land by vulture funds as a result of land sales by NAMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2180/17]

Property Tax Assessments

Ruth Coppinger

239. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the way in which the local property tax, LPT, for a property (details supplied) in Dublin 15 was calculated for the years 2012 to 2017. [10283/17]

HSE Funding

Ruth Coppinger

637. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if his Department has withdrawn the HSE national lottery grants for 2017; and if so, if he will make alternative funding options available to the groups and organisations involved in the provision of health and personal social services that depend on such funding for the important services they provide. [10288/17]

Local Authority Housing

Ruth Coppinger

6. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the policy of the hand-over or sale of publicly owned land to private developers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9038/17]