558. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding avenues available for elderly persons who require a personal alarm monitor and who have had to discontinue a landline telephone service subsequent to the subsidy being discontinued in the last budget; if he intends to provide extra resources to help persons upgrade to enable them to use a mobile phone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29862/14]
426. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will undertake to review the decision to discontinue the telephone allowance; the implications this decision has had on old age pensioners and persons living alone in rural isolated areas; if she will give due consideration to an alternative system or an exemption or an allowance for persons living alone who have monitored phone alarms or panic buttons and who rely on a landline telephone connection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29863/14]
310. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29802/14]
622. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the proposed funding cuts to be administered for school completion programmes for the 2014-15 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27926/14]
505. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [28103/14]
494. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in processing a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [28082/14]
404. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [28105/14]
403. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the process by which civilians will be recruited to the new independent Garda authority; if she will provide a provisional timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28104/14]
302. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27830/14]
167. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Louth was not allocated an EAL teaching post on appeal for the next academic year even though the school will have exceeded the threshold necessary for allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27925/14]
166. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Louth was not allocated an EAL teaching post on appeal for the next academic year even though the school will have exceeded the threshold necessary for allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27924/14]
446. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the criteria required for a Ukrainian citizen seeking to travel to Ireland for a business trip; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26610/14]
157. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance if consideration is being given to proposals to apply a VAT rate of 23% to herbal teas, vitamins and health supplements; if so, the reason this is being considered in view of the beneficial health effects of these products and the negative impact this proposal will have on employment in these industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27194/14]
210. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Fáilte Ireland intends to sell a property (details supplied) in County Cork; the steps that will be taken to ensure the premises will be utilised for marine education and training and marine tourism purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26386/14]
171. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the proposals he has to provide an immediate improvement in the long waiting times for outpatient, inpatient and day cases on the orthopaedic list in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26169/14]
786. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of all funding allocated to youth projects in County Cork for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014; his plans to re-establish a youth café in a town (details supplied); if he has received any applications from groups in that town for youth café funding; if his attention has been drawn to the lack of youth services in the local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25277/14]
767. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a sports capital grant in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Cork; when the grants will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25699/14]
623. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that an urgent surgical procedure is carried out in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25328/14]
577. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25662/14]
247. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to review the legislation surrounding the driver database which would allow a third party to access it with a view to tackling the escalating problem of drivers leaving fuel retail premises without paying for their fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25035/14]
222. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be considered for an increase in home help hours with immediate effect under the home care package. [25063/14]
88. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the exact qualification and standard in professional counselling required for guidance counsellors in second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25039/14]
87. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the necessary qualifications in special needs teaching required for teachers to be employed in special needs schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25038/14]
86. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of retired teachers who were employed in schools (details supplied) in County Louth from September 2013 to June 2014, inclusive; the amount that was paid to those employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25037/14]
85. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons a school (details supplied) in County Louth was allowed to employ a second deputy principal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25036/14]
44. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the current tendering process for school bus contracts in County Cork; if there is open and transparent competition; the way in which confidential personal information of a number of operators tendering for school bus contracts was recently disclosed and put into the public domain; the effect of same on the current tendering process; his intentions to rectify same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24045/14]
227. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 7 May 2014 when a detailed response will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23666/14]
127. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he has taken to date to deal with the crisis in the beef trade at present, particularly the bull beef trade; his views on the impact this will have on Food Harvest 2020 targets; the engagement he has had with beef processors to push for a fair price for beef farmers in view of this crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23739/14]
126. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the penalty process for single farm payments and disadvantaged area scheme payments as many farmers are being unfairly penalised on lands that were formerly qualified; if he will provide clarification on the exact number of farmers that have been contacted as part of this on-going land parcel eligibility review; the number of farmers in County Cork who have been contacted in this regard; the total sum being recouped from farmers in County Cork; his views on whether this review is fair on farmers and that due to these draconian penalties and in some cases no payment, many of these farmers will be forced out of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23736/14]
125. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the single farm payment; the changes there are to this scheme; if he will consider proposals whereby the payment is front-loaded on the first 25 hectares, making it far more beneficial to smaller and medium size farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23735/14]
106. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to upgrade the broadband capability of an area (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23637/14]
33. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the 75,000 Setanta Insurance policyholders, most of whom are small to medium-sized enterprises; the steps taken to assist these policyholders; the role of the Financial Regulator in this matter; if he will address the weakness in the regulatory system which has allowed this company to avail of EU rules, essentially allowing it to be regulated in another EU jurisdiction while operating solely in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23747/14]
97. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to develop a national volunteer strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23580/14]
1012. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the minimum qualification necessary for and training required by persons taking up positions in child care; the advice available to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who was recently informed that their qualifications are no longer recognised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23331/14]
997. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to increase funding for continuous professional development, CPD, of child care providers in view of the fact that current funding is insufficient to pay for the mandatory CPD that is required and neither is it sufficient to pay for staff to engage with quality training, including Aistear and Síolta; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22361/14]
996. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the varying cost of child care in view of the fact that the current capitation is insufficient to meet the costs of delivering quality early years care and education in many parts of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22360/14]
995. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the concern amongst practitioners in early years and school age care and education in the context of access to a living wage; that current capitation levels do not allow staff to be paid for all that is required for providing quality early years experiences for children in their care; if his attention has been drawn to difficulties faced by child care providers under the early childhood care and education scheme in paying for staff in view of the fact that the scheme does not cover staff costs for the full calendar year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22358/14]
980. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the use of old train track rails by the fishing industry; if his attention has been drawn to a recent shortage of same; the efforts being made to ensure that these assets are redeployed to the fisheries sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22704/14]
869. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 879 of 30 April 2014, when a detailed response will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22943/14]
847. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason a phototherapy machine, paid for by voluntary fundraising efforts, in Bantry hospital, has not been used to treat psoriasis since last August; the reason patients have had to travel long distances two or three times a week for brief treatment sessions when the service could be provided locally; the way and when this service will be reinstated and this machine brought back into use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22838/14]
793. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Cork. [22621/14]
740. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be considered for an increase in home help hours with immediate effect under the home care package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22318/14]
656. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to Garda vetting for the purposes of clearance of those working with children and so on, the reason for the delays in processing the vetting applications; her views on whether this is a major barrier to persons seeking employment or career advancement which obviously impacts on their capacity to earn a living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22359/14]
586. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of a forestry grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22195/14]
550. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress that has been made on the planned review into Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 particularly in terms of changes to the legislation which may affect shared ownership schemes; if he has reviewed the stand-alone analysis of the shared ownership scheme by the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency; the recommendations contained in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22763/14]
446. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if the decision to refuse jobseeker's allowance will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22978/14]
405. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will issue on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22583/14]
322. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the provision of a flood relief scheme in respect of an area (details supplied) in County Cork; the progress that has been made to date on this scheme; the prospective timeline in which he expects work to get under way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22662/14]
190. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider the introduction of a one-day asbestos awareness safety programme aimed at general construction workers, craft workers and on-site personnel in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22129/14]
137. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the 15 year rule regarding capital gains tax, the relief available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22904/14]