Parliamentary questions

Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility

Declan Breathnach

844. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason maintenance payments in divorce settlements are classed as disposable income (details supplied). [29418/19]

Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility

Declan Breathnach

845. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason social housing assessment regulations place County Louth in band 2 of the maximum net income threshold at €30,000 (details supplied); the reason counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow are placed with the Dublin local authorities in band 1 while County Louth is in band 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29420/19]

Bituminous Fuel Ban

Declan Breathnach

555. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he will take post the nationwide ban on smoky coal to ensure smoky coal from Northern Ireland, which has a lower VAT rate and no carbon tax, is not sold here; when the ban will be coming into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27713/19]

Bituminous Fuel Ban

Declan Breathnach

556. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if concerns have been raised regarding smoky coal bought in Northern Ireland, which has a lower VAT rate, no carbon tax and a higher percentage content of sulphur following the introduction of the smoky coal ban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27714/19]

Free Travel Scheme Eligibility

Declan Breathnach

672. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason not all persons who have sight loss are eligible for the free travel scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 700 persons who use a service (details supplied) do not have sufficient vision to drive a car but are also not entitled to the free travel scheme; if the scheme can be extended to this cohort of persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28101/19]

School Staff

Declan Breathnach

200. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to allow for equal and fair rights for school secretaries; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that school secretaries work long hours without holiday pay, sick pay, pensions or access to public service salary scales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26480/19]

Home Loan Scheme

Declan Breathnach

209. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of Rebuilding Ireland home loans drawn down in County Louth; if funding for Rebuilding Ireland home loans has been exhausted in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25897/19]

Personal Injury Claims

Declan Breathnach

264. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the committee he requested be established with representatives of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and his officials to review guidelines for minor personal injury claims including whiplash and soft tissue injuries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25328/19]

Proposed Legislation

Declan Breathnach

265. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to setting up a judicial council to review levels of awards for personal injuries; if his attention has been drawn to the urgency of bringing down the level of awards for soft tissue injuries in line with international norms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25359/19]

Insurance Fraud

Declan Breathnach

269. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he will take to tackle insurance fraud; if he will consider setting up a dedicated central Garda resource tasked with investigating fraudulent cases for potential prosecution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25429/19]

Disabilities Assessments

Declan Breathnach

468. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Health when an assessment of need will be carried out on a child (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that ongoing delays in the case are causing distress to the family involved; his views on the delays in assessment of need applications in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25459/19]

Social Welfare Offices

Declan Breathnach

911. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is considering amalgamating her Department’s services in Dundalk, County Louth, which would involve the closure of one or possibly two local welfare offices; if her attention has been drawn to the hardship that such a decision would cause to service users who are elderly or that have mobility issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23827/19]

National Broadband Plan

Declan Breathnach

172. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the equity being invested in the national broadband plan; the way in which the plan is being financed; the way in which the consortium awarded preferred bidder status is being financed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22220/19]

Broadband Service Provision

Declan Breathnach

173. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an agreement has been reached in relation to the provision of broadband to rural areas that are awaiting the service; the average cost per linear metre to each household in which the high-speed fibre is on a public road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22221/19]

National Broadband Plan

Declan Breathnach

174. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider the use of ESB poles in relation to the national broadband plan for those properties not within reach of a telecom pole; if he will consider involving the ESB in allowing its infrastructure to be used in connecting hard to reach households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22222/19]

Health and Social Care Professionals Regulation

Declan Breathnach

453. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to a mechanism to force a doctor already struck off the register for offences and misconduct to present themselves to answer new charges of misconduct leading to the death of a patient; his views on whether it is unfair that such charges be brought merely on the grounds that the doctor is already struck off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22021/19]

Broadband Service Provision

Declan Breathnach

150. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of houses and properties that do not have poles or infrastructure nearby to provide broadband connections to such properties from the roadway without major investment. [21255/19]

Broadband Service Provision

Declan Breathnach

151. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to take a company (details supplied) back into State control; if such an offer would be cost effective in the long run in view of the fact that it would then be a State-owned company with the task of the broadband roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21269/19]

Broadband Service Provision

Declan Breathnach

152. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to use the ESB in the roll-out of broadband to properties that are waiting for connection under the State intervention scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the ESB already has direct access to all properties and its infrastructure could be used in the provision of broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21273/19]

Universal Social Charge Application

Declan Breathnach

90. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to an anomaly causing discrimination to public service pensioners by which public service pensioners pay USC on their pension payments whereas social protection pension payments are not subject to USC; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that those in receipt of social protection pensions are able to earn an additional €13,000 in occupational pension payments, bringing their total above many public service pensions and still not be liable to USC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20996/19]