1. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection to explain the reason for abolishing the diet supplement scheme; the number of persons who will be affected by the abolition; the savings that will be made from the decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10611/14]
288. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the actual figures or, where not yet compiled, the estimates for the number of individual homes and business premises directly affected by flooding in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014, both nationally and by local authority area in tabular form; if he will indicate where possible the number of these homes that are privately owned and those which are rented from a local housing authority; the total cost to the Exchequer in 2012 and 2013 of repairing and cleaning up damage caused to these homes and properties by the floods in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10883/14]
153. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when compensation funds will be made available to flood victims in County Limerick; the way in which they must be secured, that is, if an application form is required; from where the form can be obtained; the range of items covered under the compensation, that is, homes, house contents, vehicles and so on; the reason there has been a delay in making this funding available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10534/14]
141. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if and when the Office of Public Works. as part of its remit to deal with flood risk management, plans to incentivise the installation of appropriate and reliable domestic flood defence systems and products in private and local authority housing; the discussions he has had on this topic with other Government Departments, local authorities, agencies or commercial providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10979/14]
140. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has had any discussions with the Department of Finance on making the purchase and installation of domestic flood defences allowable for any form of tax relief or refund; and his views that the granting of such reliefs would be beneficial for proven and reliable domestic flood defences in areas susceptible to flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10978/14]
139. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works keeps figures on the impact of flooding on homes and businesses; if this is the case he will provide the actual figures or, where not yet compiled, the estimates for the number of individual homes and business premises directly affected by flooding in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014, both nationally and by local authority area in tabular form, where possible the number of these homes that are privately owned and those which are rented from a local housing authority; the total cost to the Exchequer in 2012 and 2013 of repairing and cleaning up damage caused to these homes and properties by the floods in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10977/14]
106. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if and when his Department will honour payment of money due under bench marking since 2007, following a Labour Court recommendation, to a number of ex-employees of an establishment (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10877/14]
724. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if in view of the recent comments pertaining to the appalling decisions that had been made in the past by planners and politicians, if he will reconsider the sanctioning of €140,000 for further preliminary work on the Limerick northern distributor road phase 2, which traverses one of the River Shannon's most important flood plains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9325/14]
493. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to incentivise the installation of appropriate and reliable domestic flood defence systems and products in private and local authority housing; the discussions he has had on this topic with other Departments, local authorities, agencies or commercial providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9480/14]
491. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has had any discussion with the Department of Finance on making the purchase and installation of domestic flood defences allowable for any form of tax relief or refund; his views on whether the granting of such reliefs would be beneficial for proven and reliable domestic flood defences in areas susceptible to flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9461/14]
398. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an overpayment of lone parents allowance of approximately €24,000 was made to a person (details supplied) between the years 1999 and 2003, in view of the fact that this person was working at the time they applied for lone parents allowance and would have disclosed all means at the time of application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9264/14]
337. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in view of the regular instances of flooding, his Department or agencies under his aegis will provide advice or guidance for homeowners on helping defend their homes from flooding and on the various products and services available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9481/14]
127. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the file pertaining to a person (details supplied) on which an appeal was sought in September has not yet been provided to the appeals office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8627/14]
814. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to exempt pre-1980 vintage veteran vehicles from roadworthiness testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7970/14]
801. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to exempt vintage veteran vehicles to reduce the regulatory burden to owners of historic vehicles, in order to have a similar exemption which already applies to pre 1980 vintage cars which do not require NCT road worthiness testing under the Road Safety Authority (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness) Act road worthiness testing, as requested by the Vintage Veteran Trucks Association in Ireland in September 2012 and January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7820/14]
598. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 172 of 22 January 2014, if the military authorities have or will consult with Reserve Defence Force officers before the criteria for participation is finalised; the date set by the military authorities for the finalisation and implementation of the recruitment plan referred to in that reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7968/14]
597. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence the date on which the military authorities will know the effective strength of the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7967/14]
596. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide in tabular form the number of Reserve Defence Force personnel recorded as attending more than ten hours of training in 2013 in each Permanent Defence Force unit to which they are attached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7966/14]
382. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons engaged in the JobBridge programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7822/14]
375. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her estimate of the number of persons on the live register who previously worked in construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7711/14]
241. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons engaged in SOLAS courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7822/14]
144. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that as a result of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2012, a welfare recipient with a dependent adult and dependent children who takes up a community employment scheme will lose most of the €20 increase in payment as they are subject to 4% PRSI on all income; if she realises that this creates a particular and undesirable barrier for unemployed parents who wish to return to work and training; the actions she will take to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7299/14]
133. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, following his recent meeting with the county manager, he will make emergency funding available to North Tipperary County Council to purchase housing in the Ashbury development, Roscrea, which is urgently required for the provision of social housing in the Roscrea area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7065/14]
106. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the legislation pertaining to what appears to be an unfair and inequitable aspect of the State contributory pension provision whereby an applicant is penalised for working during teenage school-going years by the inclusion of these years when averaging lifetime contributions on reaching pension age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7120/14]
100. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when payment of one-parent family benefit will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare who is currently paying €540 per month rent with an income of €1,500 and who has three children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7082/14]
422. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons who have transferred from the rent supplement scheme to the rental accommodation scheme in 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5385/14]
356. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the expected level of redundancy payments the State will have to make as a result of the closure of Mount Carmel hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5535/14]
335. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will respond to recent criticisms of her Department by the Data Protection Commissioner when he stated that he is entirely unsatisfied with her Department's handling of citizens' personal data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5229/14]
307. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick has not received payment from her Department in view of the fact that they are casually employed and submitting dockets to the local office; when the payment will issue; the amount of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4884/14]
306. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the policy reasons for the closure of community welfare service clinics in rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4878/14]
305. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of community welfare service clinics that have closed in 2013 or will be closed in 2014 on a county basis; the number of community welfare service clinics that existed in January 2013 on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4877/14]
390. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to implement any further policy changes arising out of the report of the advisory group on tax and social welfare; if she will provide an indication of when the social impact assessment of budget 2014 will be published by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3857/14]
389. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline any consultancy costs associated with the establishment of the Intreo services; if she will outline any other costs associated with the establishment of Intreo including office refurbishment, branding costs and website costs; if she is satisfied with the current operation of the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3856/14]
388. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of potential double insolvency pension schemes foreseen in the coming year by her Department; when guidelines will be issued to trustees of defined benefit schemes outlining how best to utilise the new legislative provisions as contained in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013; if there are any defined benefit pension schemes which still have not submitted proposals to the Pensions Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3855/14]
387. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who secure full employment after engaging in the JobBridge scheme; the number of these employees who remain with the original hosting company under the scheme when the internship period is over; if she has any concerns with the potential abuse of employees under the JobBridge scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3854/14]
386. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s policy in relation to data protection; the actions that have been taken to deal with fraud and illegal sharing of information from her Department to third parties; the current whistleblower protections in operation for staff in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3853/14]
108. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reform the rent supplement scheme; if her attention has been drawn to reports that many tenants are being asked to pay top-up payments to landlords for rent that is above the maximum allowance limit under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3957/14]
105. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the progress made through the Pathways to Work strategy; the current long-term unemployment statistics; the current rate of youth unemployment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3956/14]
172. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence his plans to maintain a full compliment of regiments within the Reserve Defence Force; his plans for future recruitment drives in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3058/14]
548. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the €1 million plus sum of money seized near Castleconnell, County Limerick, recently is deemed by the Criminal Assets Bureau to belong to the State; if it will be allocated to organisations in Limerick dealing with the scourge of drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55331/13]
409. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason behind the requirement that a person be in receipt of a jobseeker's payment for a certain amount of time before being able to take part in the JobBridge national internship scheme; her views on whether this requirement prevents jobseekers from gaining the experience they need to improve their employment prospects simply because they are not in receipt of financial support from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1727/14]
343. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the file regarding a domiciliary care allowance requested by the appeals office on 3 October 2013 has not as yet been provided by her Department in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55319/13]
123. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that certain local Department offices are trying to actively encourage persons to avail of the service of banks instead of continuing to use their local post office (details supplied); if these offices have the authority to do this; if not, the steps she will take to have the practice discontinued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54543/13]
83. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who signed off the live register over the first 11 months of 2013; if she will provide a breakdown of the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53244/13]
364. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality following a request for Garda clearance, the way it occurred that a person (details supplied) in County Clare was assigned the criminal convictions of a person in County Tipperary; when this matter will be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52742/13]
154. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason an employee of the Health Service Executive who suffered an injury at work has, for the fourth time, suffered the loss of their personal allowance from their benefit, which has caused a loss of, on average, €375 per fortnight or €750 per month causing severe financial hardship, without being informed at any time that this was to occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51998/13]
298. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the criminal injuries compensation tribunal is at present unable to adjudicate on cases as members have not been appointed to same; when he proposes to rectify same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51723/13]
49. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider deferring the next phase of the implementation of carbon tax, pending an evaluation of the net benefit of same to the State to date, and taking into consideration the effect of the growth of the black economy on regulated fuel businesses; when will all public suppliers of fuel to the domestic market come under a proper regulatory system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51615/13]
100. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will make emergency funding available to North Tipperary County Council to purchase housing in the Ashbury development in Roscrea which is urgently required for the provision of social housing in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51209/13]
74. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department’s strategy relating to the advertising of jobs in foreign jurisdictions to jobseekers here; the number of persons that have been targeted by this strategy; if she will provide figures on those who have taken up employment as a result of this strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50877/13]