1151. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the trial drug Fampyra is no longer available free of charge to patients diagnosed with MS (details supplied); if the drugs payment system or the long-term illness scheme could contribute to the cost of the drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13840/14]
938. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide an update regarding the establishment of inter-country adoption bilateral agreements with Russia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13022/14]
736. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a timeframe in place for the completion of the current review of criminal legislation on prostitution and for a policy decision to be taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12803/14]
703. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the criteria for supervising engineers and architectural technologists will be widened under the Building Control Regulations (SI 9/2014) 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13712/14]
648. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the current examination of proposals received from all local authorities for funding for construction of new housing developments will be completed; if there is a timeframe for shortlisting the projects for inclusion in the programme of new house construction over the 2014-16 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12903/14]
601. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there are alternative options available to households in rural areas that are not eligible to receive unlimited broadband; if he will acknowledge the difficulties some businesses operating from rural areas are experiencing as a result of slow broadband connection; if further steps will be taken to improve broadband connection in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12910/14]
594. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding proposed canal by-laws; if inland waterways will remain open and accessible all year round; if he will ensure that any proposed by-laws do not negatively impact on the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14047/14]
556. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if the disability allowance appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been received by the appeals office; and when a decision will be reached on the appeal. [14026/14]
486. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in Counties Westmeath and Longford who have so far participated in the Gateway local authority work placement scheme; if there are plans to expand the number of Gateway positions in the local authorities in the coming months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13021/14]
421. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken by the Office of Public Works to ensure greater coordination between all relevant parties, including local authorities, Government agencies, local communities, insurance industry and other community organisations, when working to reduce flood risk and improve flood prevention measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13023/14]
403. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the reason for the proposed introduction of legislation to provide for an advance healthcare directive; the way the legislation will assist in developing patient-centred care at the end-of-life; when the legal framework is expected to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10402/14]
533. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the position regarding the use of Athlone District Court, County Westmeath; if cases involving persons who are being held in custody will continue to come before the court in Athlone; his views on whether cases should be dealt with in the area where the alleged offence occurred; the future use of Athlone District Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9356/14]
174. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the evidence recently given by the British Insurance Brokers' Association to the British Government's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (details supplied); if he will investigate the four options suggested by BIBA in relation to future policy on flood provision and examine the way options might be adopted here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9173/14]
223. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position on the rights of adopted persons to access their birth certificate and adoption files on turning 18 years of age; if access to this information could be made available to the adopted person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8755/14]
136. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the current options available to formerly self-employed persons in relation to accessing the State's re-training and job activation measures; if a more inclusive system could be introduced to ensure that persons are not excluded from job activation programmes when they do not qualify for jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's credits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8759/14]
279. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be approved in view of the fact that the applicant has provided proof of independent residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7976/14]
322. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the schemes available in her Department to assist households affected by flooding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6785/14]
277. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if a funding scheme is available specifically for persons affected by recent flooding who have not been able to get house insurance since previous floods; the other schemes for which persons without insurance may apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6794/14]
250. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the Shannon Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study report; when the report will be completed and recommendations implemented; if he will acknowledge the urgency of completion of the report in view of the flooding along the River Shannon in the past week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6760/14]
220. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider the introduction of education seminars in secondary schools and third level institutions in order to raise awareness of the issue of sex trafficking and prostitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6735/14]
475. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, he will consider a cash limited scheme to address the issue of the capacity of the community and voluntary sector to pay enhanced redundancy payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5511/14]
202. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the emergency works application from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been received by his Department; when a decision will be announced on emergency works applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4940/14]
201. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the summer works application from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been received by his Department; when a decision will be announced on summer works applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4939/14]
165. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance his views on permitting PAYE workers to claim back tax on charitable donations, particularly with respect to encouraging persons to donate to community initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5091/14]
146. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider introducing a provision which would allow a reduced cost for old age pensioners applying for passports and passport renewals, similar to the provision of passports for under three year olds (details supplied). [5097/14]
796. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a derogation for trailer loads of straw and hay from the current 4.65 m height restriction on trailers which is having a huge impact on the transportation of fodder for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3548/14]
571. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the new policy guidelines on family reunification will be brought into law; if it is possible to apply for family reunification before the new law is put in place; if persons who have ongoing applications for subsidiary protection are also permitted to apply for family reunification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3576/14]
527. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider allocating funding to support the construction of local authority homes to reduce reliance on the private rented sector and to reduce the number of people on social housing waiting lists at present; if his Department will continue to work with the National Asset Management Agency to identify and provide suitable social housing from its residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3781/14]
263. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he will take to improve the performance of Student Universal Support Ireland in dealing with grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3820/14]
190. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance if alternatives for financial support are available to single parents who have been affected by the replacement of the one-parent family tax credit with the single person child care credit; if he will provide further information on the option to allow the credit to be used by a non-primary carer in situations where the primary carer has no tax liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3704/14]
671. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the recommendations of the speed limits review will be implemented in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2299/14]
670. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a renewed focus will be placed by his Department on road safety to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries in 2014; the measures he will take to address the problem of drug driving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2297/14]
236. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider the proposal made by the Justice for the Undocumented group in relation to the introduction of an earned regularisation scheme to give undocumented migrants and their families living here the opportunity to come forward and earn their way to permanent residency status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54803/13]
575. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health when the new primary care centre in (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be operational; the full range of services to be based at the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53936/13]
574. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the current diagnosis and treatment facilities available here for Lyme disease; if there is a national strategy in relation to Lyme disease; if an awareness campaign to highlight symptoms of the disease will be pursued by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53935/13]
354. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures undertaken by his Department in relation to improving fibre connections as a percentage of broadband access network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53943/13]
308. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if the jobseeker register data could be mined to identify and inform suitable candidates of conversion opportunities in ICT; if her Department, as recommended in the Forfás report of November 2013 on addressing future demand for high-level ICT skills, could draw on international best practice, including the IT 50 plus initiative in Denmark and the Nokia Bridge Programme in Finland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53954/13]
215. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional iterations of the NFQ level 8 conversion programme will be run in 2014 as a strategic response to meeting ICT skills demand, as recommended by the Forfás report, Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills, November 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53952/13]
214. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures undertaken by his Department to develop and improve the ICT skills of students at primary and secondary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53944/13]
172. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of the scope and governance of the ICT action plan will be carried out to encompass all sources of ICT skills supply and ensure clarity of responsibilities for the overall co-ordination and implementation of actions, as recommended in the Forfás report, Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills, November 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53946/13]
509. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health when a consultant psychiatrist will be recruited and put in place in the midlands area for children aged nought to 18 years with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52774/13]
494. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health if the establishment of hospital groups will assist in addressing the issue of non-consultant hospital doctors' working hours and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52706/13]
365. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current policy adopted by the Irish Prison Service in relation to temporary release as a means of dealing with over-capacity; if greater focus could be placed on non-custodial options for non-violent and less serious offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52781/13]
336. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of the local property tax revenue paid in County Westmeath that will go towards funding services within the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52823/13]
263. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount of overall estimated spending of €1.08 billion on community employment, Tús and JobBridge that is expected to be allocated to counties Longford and Westmeath in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52751/13]
152. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken by the Health Service Executive and hospital management to improve waiting times for public patients seeking hip and knee operations in hospitals in the midlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51104/13]
357. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a jobseeker's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; if an appeal is necessary; if it will be heard as soon as possible in view of the severe financial pressures the applicant is under; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50340/13]
168. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the delivery of 50:50 national co-financing to complement the EU rural development funding; if the income concerns of farmers who depend significantly on pillar II rural development payments will be adequately addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49722/13]
1031. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on progress in relation to the proposed business plan by the Health Service Executive and Beaumont Hospital to introduce a bilateral cochlear implant programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45651/13]
982. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the new pre-school laws to establish statutory registration of preschool services and new powers of inspectors to ensure standards are met will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45656/13]