156. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the duration of time it takes the underwriter of the Housing Agency to adjudicate on loans can be reduced as it can hamper timely options for first-time buyers. [29796/20]
200. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the supports provided by her Department to support homework clubs for children at a particular disadvantage. [29428/20]
199. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if the provision of personal computers and WiFi in the homes of students at a particular disadvantage such as Traveller children will be supported; and if so, if such support will be provided through individual schools or another intermediary. [29427/20]
145. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proposed selection criteria for homes being allocated for cost rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29333/20]
144. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes for affordable purchase in the known pipeline; the number of homes for cost rental in the pipeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29332/20]
244. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the charges that are made to private patients who are using public hospital facilities in either public wards, semi-private or private wards; and the proportion of beds in public hospitals for which such payments are received. [29177/20]
243. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has concluded discussions on the possibility of encouraging the renting out of vacant homes of persons availing of the fair deal scheme by applying a lower rate of contribution to nursing home costs from this source or by other means; and if he has assessed the number of homes that might fall into this category. [29176/20]
242. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in a full year of each of charges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29175/20]
199. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the conditions under which persons can participate in the skills to compete programme announced as part of the July stimulus; and the duration for which the additional supports will remain in place. [29257/20]
198. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the changes in the eligibility criteria for Springboard opportunities for support for postgraduate participation. [29256/20]
197. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the take-up to date of the subsidy to employers for enrolling apprentices; the break down by sector; and if he will consider extending the closing date of the scheme. [29255/20]
196. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the take-up to date of the subsidy to employers for enrolling apprentices; the breakdown by sector; and if consideration will be given to extending the closing date of the scheme. [29254/20]
184. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under the AIM schemes according to the categories of supports made available. [29172/20]
183. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under childcare schemes according to the reckonable earnings of the parents. [29171/20]
182. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the distribution of payments under childcare schemes according to the age of the child and the hours claimed. [29170/20]
181. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration the number of children for whom the basic €20 per week is paid; and the number for whom enhanced payments are made. [29169/20]
174. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes in the criteria for the back to education allowance under the July stimulus; and the duration for which the revised criteria will apply. [29197/20]
173. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms and conditions which will apply to the Work Experience Programme which was announced as part of the July Stimulus; the revised terms of the JobsPlus scheme outlined under the July Stimulus; and if a time limit has been set for the scheme. [29196/20]
171. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new claimants of rent supplement which have come into payment since the Covid-19 pandemic commenced; and her plans to relax the stringent rules for withdrawal of the payment for persons considering returning to work by comparison with those that have been put on a housing assistance payment. [29182/20]
170. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the back to education allowance can be claimed without a waiting time for all traditional welfare payments and for the pandemic unemployment payment; and if the exact relaxation in rules which have been permitted relating to duration on welfare payments will be clarified. [29181/20]
169. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the higher rate of child dependent allowance for children of 12 years of age and over will be reflected in the rates for the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29180/20]
168. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the short-term illness benefit can be claimed by the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29179/20]
167. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to bring forward an auto-enrolment pension during the course of 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29178/20]
166. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the dates for extension of paid parental leave and of unpaid parental leave over the next fifteen months. [29173/20]
165. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many student nurses who were supporting themselves through part-time health assistant work have been told that combining such work with their standard placements would pose a Covid-19 risk and as a consequence her Department has deemed such persons not available for work and, therefore, ineligible for the pandemic unemployment payment; and if relief can be provided in such cases. [29163/20]
164. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms under which self-employed persons can claim a payment to assist with restarting their business which has been affected by Covid-19. [29162/20]
151. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has received a recommendation from the Low Pay Commission in respect of increases which should apply from January 2021. [29174/20]
95. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he plans to implement to speed up the planning delays affecting the development of onshore and offshore renewable energy; and if a clear schedule for specific changes to regulations concerning solar, wind and offshore development will be provided. [29184/20]
94. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the present rate of interest which is charged on an affordable loan; what this represents in monthly payments per €1,000 borrowed on a 25 and 30 year mortgage; if there are additional charges added for insurance and so on; and if he anticipates the potential for the reduction in these charges in the coming months. [29168/20]
93. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to make changes in the limits on the price of the house on which an affordable loan can be obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29167/20]
92. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he plans issuing guidelines on the eligible income thresholds and other national criteria for affordable purchase and for cost rental schemes in respect of which many councils have already set the other criteria for prioritising applicants. [29165/20]
91. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means tests that applied to determine eligibility for social housing schemes; and if he recognises a gap between this income level and the threshold of income that would be needed to participate in the various other purchase schemes which might justify a rise in the social housing income thresholds. [29164/20]
65. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the possibility that the abrupt reversion of help-to-buy terms to those which applied before the July stimulus package might create a distortion in the housing market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29183/20]
64. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the tax reliefs available to persons who are working from home; and the conditions under which the reliefs can be claimed. [29156/20]
63. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the reliefs made available to enterprises in respect of tax liabilities arising during the Covid-19 crisis; the periods covered; and the way in which it is planned to recover the warehoused liabilities in the situation in which many enterprises will remain vulnerable for some considerable time. [29129/20]
62. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the tax liability that may arise under income tax, USC and PRSI as a result of persons having received support from the temporary wage subsidy scheme; the way in which the Revenue Commissioners will inform persons of their liability; and if the Revenue Commissioners phase the recovery of taxes due. [29126/20]
35. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the grant levels available for works under the various SEAI schemes for householders that is warmer homes, better energy homes, solar grants and so on; the impact on the take up of these schemes as a result of Covid-19; and his plans to increase the payment levels for particular works in order to stimulate activity In the months ahead. [29166/20]
24. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports which an enterprise can receive for reopening; and the way in which it varies for enterprises in areas in which level 3 restrictions have been applied. [29161/20]
322. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a proposal to initiate a cull of seals has been considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28743/20]
299. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the proposals in respect of increases proposed for An Post pensioners have been considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28621/20]
180. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the principles that underpinned the standardisation approach that was used to adjust the calculated grades made by teachers; the protections that were in place to ensure that in cases in which downgrades were to occur each pupil was treated equally regardless of the school in which the grade was awarded; and if stress tests were applied to demonstrate its robustness. [27843/20]
172. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if an entire class must isolate in the event of one positive case of Covid-19, even if the close contacts of the student test negative. [27749/20]
172. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if progress has been possible on the request by community employment supervisors for an occupational pension scheme. [27622/20]
558. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if an additional allowance will be given to students from low income families and an extension of child benefit beyond 18 years of age to encourage continuation in education after their junior certificate. [26761/20]
536. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if short-time working under jobseeker’s benefit was claimable at the same time as the employer was claiming the recently closed temporary wage subsidy scheme from the Revenue Commissioners. [26353/20]
472. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if the review of RSE in schools has been completed; and when the changes will be introduced in schools. [26760/20]
471. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that the appropriate supports are in place to allow for online learning in schools, including the appropriate provision of laptops and other devices to students; if sufficient technical supports to teachers and students are available to best use the facility and access to the best online tools. [26759/20]
470. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the safeguards being put in place to ensure the 2021 leaving certificate exams will take place in June 2021; and the adjustments to ensure fairness in examination for students that have had disrupted schooling. [26758/20]