Heather Humphreys, TD

Fine Gael Kildare South TD, Martin Heydon, has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan TD, that almost €67,000 is to be granted to Kildare’s Grey Abbey Conservation Project. The grant is part of a €347,200 funding allocation to five local authorities for urgent conservation and preservation works to five heritage structures of national significance.

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the implementation of the recommendations for the Report on Pension Charges 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter?

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been taken to continue to increase the pupil teacher ratio in fee paying schools until it reaches 28:1 as suggested in the McCarthy report and causing concern; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce an e-vetting system; the speed with which it will cut the waiting times for persons on a community employment scheme awaiting Garda clearance; and if she will make a statement on the matter?

The Government has today approved the method by which medical cards awarded by way of discretion can be returned to persons with serious medical conditions who lost them having completed an eligibility review. The decision covers the period from the 1st of July 2011 till the 31st of May 2014.

Fine Gael Meath West TD and Chairman of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee, Damien English, has welcomed the launch of a new joint visa initiative between Ireland and the UK which will allow visitors from China and India to travel freely between the two countries on a single visa.

Fine Gael TD and Member of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, Peter Fitzpatrick, today (Tuesday) welcomed reassurances from the Minister for Education and Skills that there will be no reduction of Special Needs Assistance (SNA) posts in the school system.

Fine Gael Wicklow TD and member of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, Simon Harris, has today (Tuesday) welcomed the publication of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Ireland for 2013, saying that its findings show that a pipeline of ambitious entrepreneurs will help to fuel our economic recovery.

Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne, has today (Tuesday) called on members of the opposition to stop scaremongering on the issue of the new Housing Assistance Payment, a scheme designed to replace rent supplement.

Cork South Central Fine Gael TD and Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, Jerry Buttimer, has welcomed the publication today (Monday) of the Children First Bill 2014, by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald TD. The legislation will put the Children First Guidelines on a statutory footing.