Parliamentary questions

Teachers' Remuneration

Jan O'Sullivan

269. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of allowances previously available to teachers which were removed following a review of allowances during the recession; the estimated annual saving through the reduction of these allowances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18639/19]

Autism Support Services

Jan O'Sullivan

345. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure enough special classes are attached to mainstream schools in order that all children diagnosed with autism who need such facilities and supports can access them; the new such classrooms planned for schools in Limerick city and county at both primary and post-primary levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19459/19]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Jan O'Sullivan

361. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are extenuating circumstances that SUSI can take into account when deciding whether to accept a late application aside from the death of a close family member or medical circumstances that prevent the student from submitting an application during the requested timeframe, for example, bankruptcy proceedings and home repossession proceedings against the student's family during the time period for accepting applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19677/19]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Jan O'Sullivan

596. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if an assessment has been carried out on the number of homes left empty due to the effect the sale of those homes would have on the qualification of the owner for the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18641/19]

Nursing Home Subventions

Jan O'Sullivan

677. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce changes to the fair deal scheme; if the changes will include examining the effect of the sale or rental of the home of the person applying for the scheme which has led to many homes being left empty in the midst of a shortage of supply of homes nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18638/19]

HSE Expenditure

Jan O'Sullivan

682. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on taxis by the Health Service Executive in the most recent year for which figures exist by each community healthcare organisation area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18657/19]

Maternity Services

Jan O'Sullivan

683. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the progress in the implementation of the national maternity hospital strategy; if the budget to roll out the strategy has been ring-fenced as originally intended in order to ensure the continuing roll out of the 77 actions contained in the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18660/19]

Broadband Service Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

1215. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when high-speed fibre broadband will be available to areas in the vicinity of Tullyallen, County Louth (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18637/19]

Child and Family Agency

Jan O'Sullivan

1335. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the electrical upgrading and other remediation works carried out on the Tusla refuge in Rathmines, Dublin 6; the reason for the long closure period for the works; the reopening date for the refuge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18444/19]

National Minimum Wage

Jan O'Sullivan

1506. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the widespread practice of contracted private companies providing homecare packages under the HSE home support service not paying travel time or mileage for care assistants travelling between house calls; when a case (details supplied) will be legislated for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20092/19]

Tax Code

Jan O'Sullivan

64. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 9 April 2019, if the meeting between the Revenue Commissioners and an organisation (details supplied) has taken place; if not, if a date has been set for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18149/19]

Emergency Departments

Jan O'Sullivan

171. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if a crisis response to the overcrowding in the emergency department of University Hospital Limerick including the reopening of all closed beds in the region will be sanctioned (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18150/19]

School Patronage

Jan O'Sullivan

118. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide for more diversity of choice for parents of primary school children in an area (details supplied); if divestment or other proposals are under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17877/19]

Education and Training Boards

Jan O'Sullivan

123. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for ongoing delays in the development of the new Louth and Meath Education and Training Board headquarters facility in Drogheda, County Louth; the planned date for commencement of the building project on the site in Drogheda; the progress made to advance the project in 2018 and to date in 2019; the funds expended on the head office project in each of the years 2015 to 2018 and to date in 2019, including professional and consultancy fees, surveying, legal fees and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17989/19]

Local Authority Housing Data

Jan O'Sullivan

240. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the average time it takes for each local authority to relet council homes after they become vacant in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17875/19]

Local Authority Funding

Jan O'Sullivan

242. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason an application from Louth County Council for grant aid under the urban regeneration and development fund for the development of the Drogheda northern port access route was recently refused by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17988/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Jan O'Sullivan

65. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an SNA who has taken a career break to undertake further study is eligible to work during his or her career break in the same way as a teacher who is on a career break can carry out substitution duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17008/19]

School Patronage

Jan O'Sullivan

77. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to open up consideration of divestment of a national school to provide a multidenominational option for persons in north County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17101/19]

Planning Guidelines

Jan O'Sullivan

221. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when the working group will publish the outcome of its deliberations on new rural housing guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17083/19]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Jan O'Sullivan

98. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he plans to complete the legislation necessary for ratification to be fully activated further to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16915/19]

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Jan O'Sullivan

144. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment process for a multiple sclerosis clinical nurse specialist in University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16903/19]

Traveller Data

Jan O'Sullivan

201. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the levels of Traveller participation in activation programmes; the targeted measures used to increase Traveller involvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16894/19]

Traveller Community

Jan O'Sullivan

202. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to establish a Traveller specific employment strategy to support the training and employment objectives of the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in view of the 80% unemployment rate in the community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16904/19]

Planning Guidelines

Jan O'Sullivan

66. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties encountered in a number of towns in obtaining planning permission for housing developments due to the density restrictions in Project Ireland 2040; if clarification will be issued to planning authorities in relation to densities that are appropriate to towns and cities, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16328/19]

Local Authority Housing Data

Jan O'Sullivan

98. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason the number of voids restored to use is no longer counted in the housing delivery statistical comparisons with previous years; the reason the number approved for 2018 is considerably lower than in previous years; his plans to change the way in which local authorities are assisted in bringing their own empty properties back into use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16329/19]

Private Rented Accommodation

Jan O'Sullivan

111. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the fact that investment and private equity firms are buying entire new apartment developments; if he has had discussions with his ministerial colleagues on addressing the advantages these firms have in order to ensure a level playing field for other potential purchasers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16330/19]

Home Loan Scheme

Jan O'Sullivan

112. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress he has made in securing more funding for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; the way in which local authorities are dealing with applications in cases in which they have run out of funding for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16332/19]

Homelessness Strategy

Jan O'Sullivan

115. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which he plans to reverse the rise in the number of families and persons becoming homeless; if further measures will be introduced to assist persons to remain in their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16331/19]

Tax Code

Jan O'Sullivan

151. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the status of the probe carried out by the Revenue Commissioners into reports that cost of living increases due to those holding private pensions were not paid by some insurance companies under schemes, including those for which an annuity was paid and which required such cost of living increases to be paid to those pension holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16195/19]

Regional Road Network

Jan O'Sullivan

429. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding requested by Louth County Council in 2018 to support the development of the northern port access route in Drogheda, County Louth; the criteria laid down to qualify for such capital funding; the reason the funding application from Louth County Council was unsuccessful; his plan to fund the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14768/19]

Garda Station Refurbishment

Jan O'Sullivan

74. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the refurbishment and building works that will take place at Drogheda Garda station in 2019; the cost of the programme of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14579/19]

School Staff

Jan O'Sullivan

82. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when his Department will meet with representatives of a union (details supplied) to discuss the need to review pay arrangements, policy and the terms and conditions of grant-funded school secretaries and caretakers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14632/19]

Autism Support Services

Jan O'Sullivan

113. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the services and activities that a centre (details supplied) provides; if the HSE has plans to set up such a centre in County Kerry to be funded centrally by the Department; if similar activities on an ongoing basis for children with autism will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14582/19]

Autism Support Services

Jan O'Sullivan

114. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has plans to provide a counselling and advice service for families, in particular for the siblings of children diagnosed with autism in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14583/19]

Autism Support Services

Jan O'Sullivan

119. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the services available for children diagnosed with autism in County Kerry; if these services are continuous for each child in view of the fact that children in the county are only receiving a small number of appointments to the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14597/19]

Hospital Facilities

Jan O'Sullivan

133. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when the proposed new additional X-ray room at the newly developed extension to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda will be provided following the decision by HSE estates to withdraw the project in October 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14633/19]

Local Area Plans

Jan O'Sullivan

215. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if Meath and Louth county councils have adopted a local area plan for the area of interest that was the subject of the Drogheda boundary commission report published in 2017; if an implementation group has been formed by both councils to implement the proposals from the review; if he is satisfied with progress to date on developing a unified vision for the area that was subject of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14631/19]

Credit Availability

Jan O'Sullivan

113. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty persons who wish to downsize are experiencing in accessing bridging loans; if this issue will be addressed in his contact with the Central Bank and the wider banking sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14452/19]

Local Elections Expenditure

Jan O'Sullivan

288. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the guidelines and spending limits that will apply for the local elections in May 2019; his plans to issue further guidelines in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14363/19]

Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists

Jan O'Sullivan

289. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons on the housing and transfer waiting lists by each local authority by the most recent figures available in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14365/19]

Human Rights

Jan O'Sullivan

153. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to support a UN binding treaty on business and human rights in 2019; if feedback will be provided on the draft of the treaty; if he will participate in upcoming consultations organised by the chair-rapporteur of the UN open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, OEIGWG; if he will attend the fifth intergovernmental meeting of the OEIGWG in Geneva in October 2019; if he will help to ensure the EU participates with a negotiating mandate in the fifth session of the OEIGWG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13203/19]

Garda Stations

Jan O'Sullivan

246. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the ownership of the former Garda station at Tubbermore Road, Dalkey, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12851/19]

Home Tuition Scheme Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

362. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a three year old child who has been diagnosed with ASD can be allocated home tuition hours even if there is a place available in an early intervention or ASD setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13630/19]

Garda Data

Jan O'Sullivan

512. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of community gardaí allocated to County Limerick over the past ten years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13318/19]

Health Services Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

752. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason treatment such as bracing for young persons with the pectus carinatum condition is not available through the HSE; if the HSE plans to provide this treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13370/19]

Abortion Services Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

789. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to provide free access to termination of pregnancy services for women from Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13499/19]

Abortion Services Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

790. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if catchment areas apply for access to termination of pregnancy services in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13500/19]

Health Services

Jan O'Sullivan

791. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his views on the activities of a centre (details supplied); his further views on the provision of ultrasound services by persons without appropriate training; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13501/19]

Health Services Provision

Jan O'Sullivan

792. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the terms of reference and membership of the working group on contraception; if the group will examine the free provision of long-acting, reversible contraceptives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13502/19]

Organ Donation

Jan O'Sullivan

794. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when a soft opt-out organ donor consent system will be introduced to replace the opt-in system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13504/19]