Longford-Westmeath — week of Mon, 27 Sept — Watch Them Work

What your Longford-Westmeath TDs did this week

Mon, 27 Sept – 3 Oct 2021 · 5 TDs · 4 bills voted on · 43 questions · 8 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Freedom of Information

2021-09-29 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 83–61

Voted for 2 Joe Flaherty · Peter Burke

Voted against 1 Sorca Clarke

Did not vote 3 Kevin Boxer Moran · Micheál Carrigy · Robert Troy

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021

2021-09-29 · 1 vote · Govt (Agriculture)

A bill to amend the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 to give effect to Article 92 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 and Title VII of C…

full description

A bill to amend the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 to give effect to Article 92 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 and Title VII of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 and in that regard to provide for a system of registration and assignment of points to masters of sea-fishing boats who are Irish citizens; to make provision for certain other amendments to the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006; to amend the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003; to amend the European Union (Common Fisheries Policy) (Point System) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 318 of 2020); and to provide for related matters.

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion passed 81–62

Voted for 2 Joe Flaherty · Peter Burke

Voted against 1 Sorca Clarke

Did not vote 3 Kevin Boxer Moran · Micheál Carrigy · Robert Troy

Hospital Waiting Lists

2021-09-29 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 77–65

Voted for 2 Joe Flaherty · Peter Burke

Voted against 1 Sorca Clarke

Did not vote 3 Kevin Boxer Moran · Micheál Carrigy · Robert Troy

The motion · motion passed 77–65

Voted for 2 Joe Flaherty · Peter Burke

Voted against 1 Sorca Clarke

Did not vote 3 Kevin Boxer Moran · Micheál Carrigy · Robert Troy

Data Centre Moratorium

2021-09-29 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 80–61

Voted for 2 Joe Flaherty · Peter Burke

Voted against 1 Sorca Clarke

Did not vote 3 Kevin Boxer Moran · Micheál Carrigy · Robert Troy

Kevin Boxer Moran — Independent 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Micheál Carrigy — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Peter Burke — Fine Gael 5 votes · 4 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 4 total

Health 2 questions
- 2021-09-29 Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47042/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance calls in the past three months; the average ambulance call-out time to arrival at the scene of a patient, by functioning area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47318/21]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by inspectors from his Department on horticultural businesses by functional area in each of the past five years in tabular form. [46116/21]
Transport 1 question
- 2021-09-29 Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider erecting two new signs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46885/21]

Robert Troy — Fianna Fáil 0 votes · 16 questions · 8 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 16 total

Health 6 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if his Department has put forward proposals to compensate front-line healthcare workers for their outstanding efforts to date in dealing with Covid-19 (details supplied). [45970/21]
- 2021-09-29 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if supports are available for business that provide a sensory experience for persons with disabilities and mental health issues [47106/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an application for a primary medical certificate by a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [47304/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason that despite repeated attempts and contact with the dedicated phoneline, a vaccine certificate has not issued to a person (details supplied). [47265/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment. [47321/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect to be called for an appointment. [47322/21]
Environment 4 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a situation in which a number of properties are struggling to get connection to adequate broadband and the installation date has been pushed back yet again by NBI (details supplied). [46349/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will urgently address extended connection timeframes (details supplied) currently being provided by NBI. [46782/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will examine the potential availability of fibre broadband to a group of homes (details supplied). [46698/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address the timeframes given by NBI with regard to the national broadband roll-out; and if his Department is addressing this matter given the current reliance on a dependable broadband infrastructure in addition to the fact that more and more people are working remotely. [47282/21]
Finance 2 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider fully extending tax relief to counselling and psychotherapy as a qualifying health expense in Budget 2022; and if he will reconsider the application of VAT exemption now rated at 13.5% on earnings over €37,500 for counsellors psychotherapists from 2022. [46005/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the help-to-buy scheme for first-time buyers to 2022. [47334/21]
Social 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the provision of a pension scheme for community employment supervisors. [45978/21]
Agriculture 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will be compensated for confiscated livestock. [46057/21]
Rural 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will extend the street and shop front grant past November 2021 (details supplied). [46364/21]
Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on a situation in which a student maintains they received 345 points in their leaving certificate however the college that supplies their course of choice states they received 339 (details supplied). [47305/21]

New lobbying 8 returns

Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber · 8 returns Budgetary matters
- Support Local through Public Procurement. To break down larger scale projects into sectors within that project. This would allow more local businesses to be in a position to tender for local work and therefore would support local employment & the economy and in turn local rate payers under public procurement rules. Increase in the current €5,000 allowance that dictates what discretion the council have on spending in tandem with a commitment to support local.
- Trading Online Supports. Expansion of Online Trading Vouchers through Local Enterprise Offices and broaden the criteria through which they can be applied against. Support investment into websites for businesses who trade fully or partially online or but who do not fit the Enterprise Ireland grant criteria. Training in Social Media Content Creation. Offer a Business Transition Voucher or a Business Sustainability Voucher.
- Vouchers & the Local Economy. The D&WW Chamber is advocating that the threshold for gift voucher bonuses from employer to employee be increased from €500 to €1000 and be available across at least 2 payments over 12 months.
- here is a disparity between people on the live register ‘available for work,’ and employers recruiting staff. estructure of social welfare, making the system more user friendly to people claiming benefit being allowed to work. Removal of X & O’s. Replacing this with an hourly work week quota instead of marking off entire days if only a couple of hours work was availed of. Supporting low-middle income earners. Elimination of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment where sectors opened July 2021
- One point of contact for Employment Incentives, Apprenticeships, and Internships. Requesting one point of contact for businesses in relation to help with employment incentives, internships, support with training & apprenticeships, also to find staff, matching people on the love register/ or benefits to positions available. Currently there is overwhelm and confusion as there are so many organisations involved.
- Lowering VRT on Motor Vehicles - Lowering VRT, at the very least in the short term, until the worldwide shortage of new cars levels out a bit
- Housing Challenge.The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) introduced lending criteria (eg 3.5 times gross salary cap on mortgages, 80% LTV max etc). The parameters and environment at the time are very different. The D&WW Chamber asks that rules for lending criteria are amended for middle income earners looking to buy and set up a long-term home. (The CBI rules applying to mortgage lending for landlords and investors are not part of our request.)
- Home Renovation Incentive Scheme. a change to the HRI Scheme to include goods that currently are not acceptable is suggested. This would have a positive effect on a variety of sectors that see no benefit from the scheme as is and would possibly be a lifeline to anybody trying to improve or finish a project.

Sorca Clarke — Sinn Féin 5 votes · 23 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 23 total

Defence 7 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number and location of Civil Defence units currently operating from temporary accommodation; his plans to provide permanent accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46818/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the reason behind not meeting with those involved in a documentary (details supplied) until after it had aired given that it has been reported requests were made of him at an earlier stage. [46825/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence if there has been any contact between his Department and RTÉ following the release of a documentary (details supplied); and if so, the purpose of same. [46826/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the terms of reference for the announced independent review following a radio documentary (details supplied); the person or body that will be responsible for establishing the review body; the membership qualifications or criteria for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46794/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of settlements made in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, with current or former members of the Defence Forces which included a non-disclosure agreement stipulation. [46798/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made on the Workplace Relations Commission recommendations following the successful case brought by a person (details supplied). [46797/21]
- 2021-09-30 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of pilots who applied to re-enter the Air Corps; the number of applications approved; the number refused; the number awaiting a decision; the number under appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46795/21]
Housing 4 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households approved for adaptation works by local authority in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and the funding that will be made available for same in budget 2022. [46812/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority households approved for housing adaptation works but which are yet to be carried out broken down by local authority in tabular form. [46813/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the fire stations currently assessed as needing upgrading works; and when each of these works will be undertaken. [46819/21]
- 2021-09-29 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made by the Multi-Stakeholder Working Group established to examine issues related to the use of peat moss in the horticulture sector. [46902/21]
Health 4 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of unused or underused HSE-owned buildings by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46814/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health his views on the long-term leasing of suitable premises by the HSE to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46815/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the areas in which the unfilled consultant positions in Mullingar Regional Hospital exist; and the action that has been taken to fill these roles. [46822/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the hospitals or centres of care per county which have been assessed as having asbestos in the buildings; and the actions that have been taken to ensure the health and safety of employees and former employees to assess the health impact that asbestos had. [46823/21]
Tourism 2 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the criteria set down by her Department to ensure that parity was achieved for smaller or newer clubs within an organisation that received funding or supplementary funding due to the financial impact of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46809/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if he has engaged with Longford County Council regarding proposals to establish a skate park in Longford town. [46820/21]
Education 2 questions
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of students by county in tabular form; and the number of children who were unsuccessful in their application for concessionary school transport places. [46821/21]
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when her Department will review the current criteria set out for a child with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, to qualify for an exemption from Irish language studies in school (details supplied). [46827/21]
Enterprise 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of advanced technology buildings by local authority currently under consideration by the IDA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46817/21]
Environment 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the criteria for application under the farm and community biodiversity initiative which saw Lough Ennell excluded from the 17 projects announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46810/21]
Transport 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the engagement there has been with Westmeath County Council, Irish Rail and other interested parties regarding the reopening of Killucan train station. [46811/21]
Justice 1 question
- 2021-09-28 Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the persons or bodies that have the legal authority to authorise surveillance including phone tapping; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46824/21]