Questions asked 92 total

• Health 32 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health his plans to clear the waiting list for ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4528/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of patients with cataracts waiting for treatment in counties Laois and Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4529/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if more timely access will be ensured for persons awaiting outpatient ophthalmic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4530/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if a target for eye care patients based on the urgency of the condition will be introduced alongside referral to treatment targets to prevent avoidable blindness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4531/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will work with an organisation (details supplied) to ensure the eye clinic liaison officers are in the right place at the right time across major eye clinics by helping patients maintain independence and well-being whilst reducing the burden on ophthalmologists and clinic based staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4532/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider setting up a central agency to be mandated with the responsibility of ensuring coordinated delivery of the technical aids grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4534/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to the HSE to adequately resource the technical aids grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4535/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to the technical aids grant in order that it can be extended to smartphones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4536/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if high spec sunglasses, filters and specialist spectacle lenses will be included for those with vision impairment within the definition of HSE aids and appliances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4537/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider providing a second back-up pair of high spec lenses and sunglasses for each pair received in order to mitigate against the high risk of accidental damage and reduce the cost of reassessment for the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4538/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will enable those with an ophthalmic diagnosis to change their low vision aid if their eye specialist or optometrist has identified that their sight has deteriorated further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4539/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if each HSE region will adopt standardised criteria for approving low-tech magnification aids as an entitlement under the General Medical Services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4540/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if a new transport support payment scheme will be set up to provide transport to health-related appointments; if so, if it will be made available to those who need transport to and from work in cases where they are unable to drive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4541/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if an organisation (details supplied) will be involved in the consultation process when proposals are put forward in relation to the development of a new transport support payment scheme in order to ensure that the needs of blind and vision impaired persons are fully considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4542/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if one cane per year will be funded for each blind or vision impaired person who needs to use one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4543/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will be supported in extending the personal assistant service to include persons who are blind and vision impaired; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4544/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if personal assistant services for blind and vision impaired persons will be funded regardless of their area of residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4545/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the funding allocation to an organisation (details supplied) will be restored by at least 16%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4546/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will involve an organisation (details supplied) in the consultation process when proposals are put forward regarding the development of a new transport support payment scheme in order to ensure that the needs of persons who are blind and vision impaired are fully considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4547/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the financial resources will be provided to introduce a subsidised taxi transport scheme for persons with sight loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4553/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if one single national budget will be considered for an organisation (details supplied) to facilitate equal access to services nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4562/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider lowering the 100% taper rate of the blind welfare allowance in view of the fact it is regarded as too steep and creates an income plateau for some persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4567/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will digitalise its records in order that it can easily retrieve statistics on the number of blind and vision impaired persons who have received its supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4571/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the new transport support payment scheme will not only provide transport to health-related appointments but will also be available to those who need transport to and from work in cases where they are unable to drive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4575/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will resource local authorities in order that they can subsequently ensure that the accessibility needs of persons who are blind and vision impaired can be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4587/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that each local authority puts an access officer in place in line with the Disability Act 2005; if the necessary resources and training will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4589/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will ring-fence adequate funding to facilitate a project (details supplied) and its associated costs in continuing to better support the evolving access needs of students with print disability in further and higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4592/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his Department will seek to officially recognise and support an organisation (details supplied) as a complementary service provider to support and strengthen the structures to become more individualised, equipped and responsive to the needs of children with impaired vision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4593/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board since it made its decision to pursue legal action against a company (details supplied); his views on the action being taken by the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5251/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee has no representative from a society (details supplied); the length of time the position has been vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5252/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the work being carried out with respect to revising the model of care applied to terminations of pregnancy; the person or body he has assigned to revise the model of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5254/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 161 of 13 November 2019, if an independent external facilitator to engage in a consultative process in respect of Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has been appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5330/20]
• Communications 13 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider including the blind pension and disability allowance as qualifying payments for entitlement to the warmer homes scheme in the same way as jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4557/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if 6% of hedgerows will be included in calculations relating to carbon sequestration figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4216/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an analysis will be carried out on the way in which carbon sequestration capabilities are calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4217/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason for the non-inclusion of hedgerow and grassland sequestration potential here in the current calculation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4218/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if it will be ensured that all public bodies prepare for the implementation of the EU web accessibility directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4559/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider making a progress report on the implementation of the EU web accessibility directive available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4560/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider urging the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, to set production targets for home-produced programmes to be broadcast with audio description as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4594/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider allocating a proportion of the television licence fee to be spent on production of audio description for home-produced programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4595/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if funding will be urgently allocated to the SEAI for the better energy community scheme in order to ensure that communities and businesses can avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5128/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he last met with the Just Transition Commissioner; the funding provided to the commissioner; if he is satisfied that the commissioner has sufficient staff and secretariat facilities to enable him to carry out his work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5247/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of his most recent engagement with Bord na Móna as part of the just transition strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5248/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the application to the platform for coal and other carbon-intensive regions in transition.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5249/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the implementation of the national broadband plan in counties Laois and Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5250/20]
• Agriculture 12 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions taken to date to resolve the ongoing issue relating to delays in the processing of felling licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4050/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will re-examine regulations that would prohibit merchants from selling and administering animal preventative remedies without a prescription from a veterinary surgeon in view of the significant challenges the Covid-19 crisis is generating in the agriculture sector and in further view of the fact that the implementation of these regulations could create significant financial burdens for already overstretched farmers and providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5129/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of tree felling licences granted to farmers since January 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5130/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has engaged with a company (details supplied) with a view to ensuring that financial and supply arrangements with Irish farmers are maintained going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5131/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if emergency intervention measures for beef farmers will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5132/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has engaged with the European Commission on the need to introduce a private storage aid scheme for the dairy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5242/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed regulations adopted by the European Council on 26 November 2018 and due to come into effect from 28 January 2022 will impact on the points of sale of dosing products for animals and the points of sale to obtain such products by farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5246/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to disburse or use the approximately €25 million underspend from the BEAM scheme; if a further BEAM scheme will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5264/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had engagements with the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development from 1 March 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5265/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications made under the young farmer scheme since it was introduced by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5266/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of internal and external consultancy reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2014 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the details and cost of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5267/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there have been developments in concluding a beef trading deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5268/20]
• Employment 12 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to discontinue the JobPath scheme at the end of 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4045/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the workplace adaption grant to those on community employment schemes will be extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4549/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the basic social welfare rate will be increased for the blind pension and disability allowance by at least €20 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4563/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an organisation (details supplied) and blind and vision impaired persons will be consulted as part of the research process in view of the fact research will provide quantitative estimates of the cost of disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4564/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider changing the eligibility criteria for access to the free travel scheme to include those with a long-term eye condition which renders their level of vision insufficient to meet criteria for a driver licence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4565/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the income trough caused in cases in which the income of a blind or vision impaired person exceeds eligibility for the minimum blind pension rate due to the loss of their fuel allowance, living alone allowance and household benefits package will be re-examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4566/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a change will be made to the blind welfare allowance in order that it is not counted when assessing means for disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4568/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider administering the workplace adaption grant consistently nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4569/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a national awareness campaign will be funded in order to proactively promote the employee retention grant scheme and workplace adaption grant to employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4570/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an organisation (details supplied) will be officially recognised as a complementary service provider to support and strengthen the structures already in place through the Intreo service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4572/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will engage with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to barriers in accessing Intreo services for blind and vision impaired persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4573/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the requirement that work is of a rehabilitative nature will be removed from the blind pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4574/20]
• Education 7 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of pupils rural schools need to have to retain or gain additional teachers will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4041/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the educational disadvantage committee which was set up under the Education Act 1998 will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4042/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if emergency repair work will be carried out at a school (details supplied) to an adequate standard to ensure safety for pupils and staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4043/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with a disability awaiting a school place in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5236/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with a disability awaiting a school place in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5237/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for renovation and building works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5238/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reduce the existing level of supports for children with an autism diagnosis at primary and secondary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5239/20]
• Transport 7 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider consulting persons who are blind and visually impaired at each stage in a project or large-scale service change in order that the process will be fully accessible in order to allow persons who are blind or visually impaired to take part independently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4550/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider including an equality impact study in a large-scale transport infrastructure project or service change to assess the impact on persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4551/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if resources will be provided to ensure that public transport services operate audible announcements on all public transport nationally and at platforms and stops to enable those with insufficient vision to have access to the same basic information as the sighted population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4552/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it will be ensured that all public transport operators will prepare for the implementation of the EU web accessibility directive which will make sure that all websites and apps are accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4554/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be committed to embedding accessibility standards into the design of all new stations and bus stops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4555/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided to public transport providers in order to provide mandatory standardised disability awareness training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4556/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided to retrofit public transport vehicles that do not have an alert vehicular acoustic system and which have been purchased with public funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4583/20]
• Housing 5 questions

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department will recognise an organisation (details supplied) as a key stakeholder and will involve it in the consultation process for new design projects or redesign to ensure that the needs of persons who are blind or vision impaired are taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4586/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a rent freeze will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4048/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the introduction of the affordable housing schemes will be prioritised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4049/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he will consider allowing those with impaired vision to cast their ballots either by telephone or electronically in view of the fact that negative experiences with electronic voting cannot be allowed to prevent persons living with sight loss from exercising their right to a secret ballot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4590/20]
  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department will encourage local authorities to use their discretion and remove business rates from the premises in which the shops of an organisation (details supplied) operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4591/20]
• Finance 1 question

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider overturning the decision made by the Revenue Commissioners to introduce VAT increases on food supplements, particularly those which are used by persons to slow down the deterioration of their sight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4533/20]
• Children 1 question

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the access inclusion model for pre-school children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5270/20]
• Rural 1 question

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the projects supported by the rural regeneration and development fund in 2019, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5241/20]
• Culture 1 question

  • 2020-05-13 Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the protection of the turf cutting tradition will be ensured; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4219/20]