Parliamentary questions

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

126. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will categorically state if the sale of a company (details supplied) by Irish Bank Resolution Corporation was in fact conducted for the maximum return for the State; the reason he has failed to state his position thus far on this matter, even though it has come to light that his Department believed that the sale decision has raised a number of areas where it believes that decisions taken by the corporation resulted in a less optimum return for the bank, as is clearly written in documents marked seen by the Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16658/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

127. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will release the findings of the review undertaken by officials at the Central Bank of Ireland into the sale of a company (details supplied) by Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; if he will indicate the main recommendations arising from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16659/15]

IBRC Liquidation

Catherine Murphy

128. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the reason he stated in Dáil Éireann on 6 February 2013 during his opening remarks on Second Stage of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013, that he wished to emphasise that the reason these steps were being taken was entirely distinct from the performance or direction of the board or management of the corporation, and that he wished to acknowledge, with much appreciation, the significant efforts the directors and staff of the corporation had made to the stabilisation of, and maintenance of value in, the corporation; if at that time, as has been revealed in documents dated July 2012 and released to this Deputy under the Freedom of Information Act, he was very concerned with how a large number of transactions had been handled over the previous number of months, and that this had led the Department to question the effectiveness of the chief executive officer and the current management team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16660/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

129. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he took the advice of his officials who recommended that the chairman of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation be asked to commission a full independent review of a company's (details supplied) transaction, as written in documents released to this Deputy under the Freedom of Information Act; if so, the procedure that was followed; the findings of that review; the measures that were taken on foot of the review being conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16661/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Catherine Murphy

14. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an estimate, per housing authority area, of the number of new builds that will be completed in each of the next three years, under the recently announced programme to tackle the homelessness crisis; the factors that led to the wide variation in the projected spend, per person, on the waiting list across housing authority areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15562/15]

Homelessness Strategy

Catherine Murphy

43. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to establish a tenancy protection unit in any area outside Dublin; if he recognises the urgent need for such a unit in certain high-pressure areas suffering from local housing crises; his plans to resource local authority staff to enable local authorities to provide even a basic housing service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15559/15]

IBRC Liquidation

Catherine Murphy

67. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the point at which the decision was made to start drafting of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013; if it is the case that the strained relationship which existed between the management of the corporation and his Department, referred to in correspondence from the time which has come to light very recently, had a bearing on the Government's decision to draft said legislation and appoint a special liquidator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16123/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

69. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if the closed process by which the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation disposed of a company (details supplied) was fully in compliance with European Union competition and state aid rules; if he received any correspondence from the Commission in relation to same; if so, the details of the Commission's interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16128/15]

Road Signage

Catherine Murphy

188. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown, in tabular form, for each local authority in the State, indicating the amounts spent in each of the past seven years on road, street and related signage and signposts; the amounts received by each company contracted by the State in that period to make said signage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16177/15]

Road Signage

Catherine Murphy

196. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown, in tabular form, indicating the amounts spent in each of the past seven years on road, street and related signage and signposts by the National Roads Authority; the amounts received by each company contracted by the State in that period to make said signage; the amounts spent contracting third parties to install said signage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16178/15]

Teaching Contracts

Catherine Murphy

21. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that issues of working time and conditions recently raised at teacher conferences have exposed a prevailing and growing casualisation of labour within the teaching profession which is to the detriment of the profession as a whole; if she will recognise that for the public sector to increasingly move towards this eroding of workplace security sets a bad example for the private sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15462/15]

Road Safety Data

Catherine Murphy

175. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if and when the Road Safety Authority website database road collisions will be updated with details of such events that have occurred since the site was last updated for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15910/15]

IBRC Staff

Catherine Murphy

305. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if staff which his Department seconded to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation from September 2012 reported to his Department any concerns related to persons working at the corporation (details supplied) and their potential conflicts of interest relating to the disposal of an indebted entity, Boundary Capital; if the person on secondment indicated to whom the debt of Boundary Capital was sold; if any action was taken at the time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15583/15]

IBRC Staff

Catherine Murphy

307. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to his statement that his Department had a number of concerns regarding the quality of decisions taken at the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation over the sale of a company (details supplied), if those concerns specifically included the possibility that a senior staff member (details supplied) of the corporation had a triple conflict of interest in that the staff member simultaneously managed the company's account, the account of the owner of the ultimately successful bidder for the company and the personal account of the chief executive officer of the company during the sale process; if his Department made any inquiries on this specific matter; if so, if he will share these findings; if this specific matter was raised by him or his officials during the meetings which took place arising from the sale of the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15637/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

308. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the number of bids that were received during the first round of the sale of an entity (details supplied) by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; if he will provide a list of those bids; if the company which was ultimately successful in purchasing the entity was in fact among the first bidders; if that bid amount changed over the course of the bidding process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15708/15]

Broadband Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

678. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the provision of broadband services to residents in Allenwood in County Kildare and surrounding areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15452/15]

IBRC Staff

Catherine Murphy

86. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate, with respect to a person (details supplied) seconded to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation from September 2012, the reports, this person prepared during his tenure at the corporation; if he will make copies of these reports available; if that person's remit was to examine decisions prior to his deployment; the recommendations that person made with respect to transactions proposed by the corporation during his tenure; if that person's intervention led to changes, or to the abandonment of any proposed transaction; if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15104/15]

IBRC Staff

Catherine Murphy

87. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate, with respect to a person (details supplied) seconded to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation from September 2012, the reason such an appointment was made, if the Minister was, as he has stated numerous times, satisfied that transactions at the corporation were being carried out in the best interests of the taxpayer, in particular, the transaction involving the sale of a company (details supplied); his views that some decisions at the corporation were questionable, as to whether the taxpayers' interests were fully served, and that is the reason the secondment in question was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15105/15]

Child Poverty

Catherine Murphy

13. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he is aware that the present housing crisis is one of the biggest contributors to child poverty, curtailed educational attainment and childhood health concerns; his views that the extreme pressures placed on families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness create an urgent child welfare issue in many cases; the measures he proposes to address this; the correspondence he has had with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and with the Minister for Social Protection on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14402/15]

Wildlife Regulations

Catherine Murphy

904. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht regarding the recent public consultation conducted on section 40 of the Irish Wildlife Act, the way any change to the section, if such is to be made, would be made; the instrument that will be used to amend the Irish Wildlife Acts; the timeframe for any findings and recommendations to be made to her from the working group she has established within her Department to consider the matter; when she will make a decision on the matter; the persons, bodies, sections and perspectives that are represented within the working group; if the working group comprises only her Department's staff or if she will provide the names of other representatives that are involved; if she will provide a copy of the terms of reference or instruction for the working group; if she or her Department solicited any submissions from any groups or organisations on this matter; if any submissions or comments were received on the matter outside of the mechanism notified for the public consultation; if she will clarify any distinction being made between the different types of submissions received; if different weighting or treatment will be afforded to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14163/15]

National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan

Catherine Murphy

13. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on delivery of the national disability strategy implementation plan; the number of Departments of State that have submitted their required inputs into the draft plan; the targets that have been discussed under the plan; her views that the plan has taken an inordinate amount of time to prepare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13400/15]

Legal Services Regulation

Catherine Murphy

32. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is aware that the regulatory regime governing the legal profession as it stands is at variance with the services directive; the full implications of this; the legislative measures that are required; the implications that may arise for persons who suffered a professional loss as a result of decisions taken underneath the flawed regulations; if she is aware of any litigation which has commenced as a result of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13290/15]

Irish Water Administration

Catherine Murphy

246. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the precise criteria used by consultancy firms (details supplied) in determining to which entity to award the original Irish Water tender in 2012; the amount that was paid to said firms for their services in respect of this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13852/15]

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

263. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 26 February 2015, the reason appointments were made to the board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland without a public competition; if he considers it good practice to have made such appointments in the knowledge that the Government of which he is a member viewed such practice dimly and was imminently to reform these processes; if he will further explain the way it is not a conflict of interest to make an appointment to the board and compliance committee of a person with very close previous professional links with large media entities, which are routinely the subject of complaints before the compliance committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13825/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

28. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance in respect of the departmental review of the sale of Siteserv to Millington by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, the process that resulted in him being convinced that the sale amounted to the best outcome for the State; if he and his officials looked at both rounds of bids; if so, the number and name of the companies that made bids in the first round; the place in the hierarchy Millington fell; the number of those bids that went forward to the second round; the criteria for moving to the second round; the place Millington, the winning bid, fell in the hierarchy in terms of the amounts bid; if the tender process was uniform for all bidders; if not, the reason for same; if not, the way the bids were ranked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13118/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

31. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a detailed account of the dialogue which took place between his Department and the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in advance of, during and after the introduction of the updated framework agreement governing the relationship between the bank and him in March 2012; if he will provide an itemised list of all such correspondence, including the purpose and detail of the correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13119/15]

Courts Service

Catherine Murphy

399. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the regulations governing public access to the public sittings of District and Circuit Courts; the circumstances in which public attendance at these courts can be curtailed; if it is a decision for the relevant judge concerned as to when curtailments on public attendance can be put into effect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13210/15]

Crime Prevention

Catherine Murphy

423. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the way the extra €2.8 million to tackle youth crime announced in December 2014 has been allocated; if she will provide a list of organisations, including their location, which have received funding from this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13418/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

64. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by her Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if she will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13115/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

80. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if records were kept of the meeting or meetings he or officials of his Department held with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in respect of a sale (details supplied); if so, if he will include these records in his response; if not, the reason; if not, the questions he raised in respect of payment to directors of the company in view of the large debt that was being written down, and the answers he received; the questions he raised in respect of the number of tenders considered; the reason the bid was more advantageous to the State; the questions he raised in respect of those who were involved in the tender process in the various entities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12546/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

81. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation extended a €10 million credit facility to an entity which was already heavily indebted to it (details supplied) at any point between 2010 and its sale in 2012; if he will confirm that all due diligence procedures were followed in advance of the forwarding of this line of credit; if this €10 million or outstanding portion thereof was specifically recovered through the sale of the entity concerned or if the money was written down entirely at that point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12621/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

82. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the recent media reports which state that the board of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation turned down a reportedly higher offer for an entity (details supplied) because one element of that proposal included a mandatory eight week due diligence exercise; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that had the board chosen this reported bid, the new framework agreement would have been in place once the said eight week period had expired; if he has considered that the sale of the entity was rushed in that respect; if he has invited any explanation as to what end such a rush was undertaken for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12628/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

102. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13110/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

109. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12544/15]

IDA Portfolio

Catherine Murphy

129. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to any case where Ireland is in breach of the directive on services in the Internal Market and if so, if he will provide the details of all such breaches; if enforcement proceedings have commenced against Ireland over any such breaches; the fines possible; the immediate steps he proposes to take within his departmental powers to address this breach; if these steps will include new legislation or amendments to legislation presently before the Houses of the Oireachtas; the correspondence, he has had with representatives of the professions in question, and the action necessary from them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12615/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

131. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13113/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

148. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13105/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

152. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide a list in tabular form of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13109/15]

Legal Services Regulation

Catherine Murphy

164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to any case where Ireland is in breach of the directive on services in the Internal Market; if she will provide the details of all such breaches; if enforcement proceedings have commenced against Ireland over any such breaches; the immediate steps she proposes to take to address such breaches; if these steps will include new legislation or amendments to legislation presently before the Houses of the Oireachtas; the correspondence, if any, she has had with representatives of the professions in question; any future action that is required from them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12612/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

172. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by her Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if she will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13114/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

180. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a list in tabular form of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13107/15]

Primary Care Centres Provision

Catherine Murphy

200. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the establishment of primary care centres in Celbridge, Leixlip and Kilcock in County Kildare; when these centres will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12562/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

209. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13112/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

214. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13111/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

230. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will account for the under-provision of spaces for children with special needs in the east Offaly/west Kildare area; her plans to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12549/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Catherine Murphy

252. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of Leader programme funding awarded by county in each of the past seven years and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12561/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

261. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, Agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13108/15]

Departmental Contracts Data

Catherine Murphy

279. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by her Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if she will indicate which Department, Agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13106/15]

Vehicle Registration

Catherine Murphy

518. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vehicles that have been detected while using cloned or false vehicle registration plates in each of the past five years, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12138/15]

Vehicle Registration

Catherine Murphy

519. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures that are in place to inhibit the manufacture and use of cloned or false vehicle registration plates which can be used to avoid detection related to a range of offences, such as car toll payments, illegal dumping and car theft; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12139/15]