978. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of new staff recruited by the National Parks and Wildlife Service since May 2016; if interviews have been held and panels established for ranger positions at each of national parks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28101/17]
697. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the emigrant programme for finance is in operation; if it promotes renewable projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28555/17]
454. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide documentation from a State funded third level institution for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26773/17]
453. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a copy of an educational certificate for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26772/17]
385. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when forced retirement at 65 years of age for employees in the public sector will be reviewed and extended to an older age; the timeframe for this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27794/17]
321. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland allocates money for renewable projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28556/17]
301. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath qualifies for agricultural relief under favourite nephew relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28262/17]
282. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance his plans for further tax increases (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27792/17]
112. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to expand the rural recreation programme in view of the increase in popularity of greenways and blueways; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27444/17]
99. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the 2017 CLÁR programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27443/17]
18. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the review of the capital plan will occur; and if key preliminary projects will be prioritised such as the extension of the N4 from Mullingar to Rooskey and the provision of a motorway serving County Longford and the north west. [26100/17]
231. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the HSE to provide lifesaving medication to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26192/17]
470. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans to send an official from his Department to attend a group's (details supplied) annual conference in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25721/17]
399. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) who had two previous appointments cancelled. [25321/17]
162. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if exceptions can be made to a Revenue Commissioners rule stating that tax cannot be claimed back for an adapted car for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26036/17]
593. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are exemptions on the plastic bag levy for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24223/17]
592. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of a new scheme which provides grants for businesses that are diversifying through using the Internet; the way in which the scheme will be administered; the number of persons or companies that may apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24218/17]
426. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the person or body with regulatory responsibility over pharmacies to ensure that they are correctly administrating the drugs payment scheme and other prescription charges and are not charging customers for more than 12 payments of the DPS per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24011/17]
326. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which fraud is being tackled in his Department; the number of persons he has sanctioned to investigate claims; the number of licensed investigators that are operating here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24224/17]
73. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new gardaí allocated to Mullingar Garda station and all Garda stations in counties Longford and Westmeath; her plans for future allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24378/17]
52. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will request an update from An Garda Síochána regarding the current number of personnel serving Edgeworthstown Garda station, in view of the deficit in staff due to long-term sick leave which is not being represented in official figures for the station and which is causing a dangerous situation due to lack of policing and an increase in crime in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23966/17]
35. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a county registrar will be appointed in County Westmeath; and if the person appointed will deal only with County Westmeath. [23643/17]
41. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position on measures being taken to facilitate a return to service of former members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23084/17]
38. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position on the relocation of the Westmeath Civil Defence headquarters further to his officials meeting members of Westmeath County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23085/17]
150. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath was refused exemption for VAT and VRT for a new passenger vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23180/17]
83. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her Department's role with other State agencies in securing a future for a site (details supplied). [23014/17]
68. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the efforts she is making to bring more jobs to County Longford and the midlands in view of the recent closure of a company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23015/17]
109. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Longford can replace a caretaker or secretary who is retiring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22515/17]
245. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will request a private contractor to provide broadband to a household (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21277/17]
833. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will consider re-evaluating or providing further clarity on the role of the HSE, EITs and NEPS, in general and specifically, when transition reviews are being carried out for children with special needs when they are entering primary level education in view of the confusion and worry caused to persons and management of a school (details supplied) at which reviews were not carried out in time for the school to apply for extra SNA hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19362/17]
51. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the rural recreation programme will open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20344/17]
47. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of the actions that have been progressed by her Department under the Action Plan for Rural Development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20343/17]
24. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider the request from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to grant moneys in order to extend the LIHAF, local infrastructure housing activation fund, scheme for projects which were not allocated funding under the recently announced projects in view of the demand for a scheme in Mullingar, County Westmeath, when the review of the Capital Plan 2016-2021 is being carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18703/17]
113. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance the detail of the VRT regime here; if the State pays penalties to the European Union for implementing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18433/17]
730. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the sports capital grants will be allocated; the basis upon which the applications are reviewed in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17485/17]
715. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the progress of the tender for the national emergency 999 service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17743/17]
35. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if and when the local infrastructure fund can be accessed by Westmeath County Council in order to upgrade housing on the Ardmore Road, Mullingar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16812/17]
17. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the way in which the repair and lease scheme will be rolled out across the country; when local authorities will be informed and authorised on implementing the scheme; his plans to expedite this process due to huge demand in counties such as Longford and Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16813/17]
289. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the approach taken by DPS, drugs payment scheme, pharmacists when a patient runs out of medication before the calendar month is up; if there are instances where patients must pay €144 twice in one month; if this is taken into account at the end of the year in cases where patients could have made up to 14 monthly payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17052/17]
288. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if DPS, drugs payment scheme, patients must pay the DPS amount of €144 only 11 times per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17051/17]
91. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to expedite the construction of a school (details supplied) in view of significant past delays with the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16492/17]
67. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school (details supplied) regarding its application to the school building programme for the development of a new school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16493/17]
457. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health when the review of the fair deal scheme will be published and implemented as outlined in the partnership programme for Government; the timeframe for this process in view of the detrimental effect it is having on small family farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16064/17]
380. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider reinstating the phone allowance for older persons in view of the fact that for areas with poor reception it was suitable to have a landline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16784/17]
295. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans to address the crisis in the tourism and hospitality industry in respect of the supply and training of chefs and kitchen staff in view of the negative impact this is currently having on enterprises and tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14416/17]
159. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Finance if the cost price of a new build house is taken into account when calculating loan to value for the purpose of the help-to-buy scheme rather than the valuation price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16000/17]
229. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the Forestry Act 2014 will be commenced; the effect this will have on setback distances of trees from public roads; if possible detrimental effects of this have been analysed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15791/17]
226. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an inspection to approve a house and to ensure that staff are employed on a contract between the HSE and an organisation for a person (details supplied) with immediate effect. [15948/17]
547. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of fatalities involving tractors, on public roads only, which have occurred over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14862/17]