Parliamentary questions

EU-IMF Programme of Support

Catherine Murphy

97. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance when the European Commission advised his Department on the necessity to have in place a relationship framework and operational protocol to govern interactions between him, as Minister, and the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; if that advice indicated that a set figure would be advisable to trigger consultation where a transaction would have an adverse impact on the capital of the corporation; if so, the reason there was a delay in implementing this advice; if he will make available copies of all correspondence between his Department and the European Commission relating to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10965/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

98. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance relating to the sale of a company by the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (details supplied), if his attention was drawn, in advance of the sale, that a portion of the agreed sale price was to be diverted to shareholders of the entity being sold, which resulted in significant sums being accrued to several persons on the board of the entity; if the board of the corporation similarly was aware of this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10967/15]

National Library

Catherine Murphy

24. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a risk assessment has been conducted to determine the risks to the integrity, and security of the national collection in the National Library of Ireland; if she is satisfied that the national collection, in the conditions it is currently stored, is adequately protected from damage by fire, water, degradation, oxidation, biological agents, fungi, heat and light; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10183/15]

National Library

Catherine Murphy

30. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department has investigated the net cost of availing of the storage arrangement offered by Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland Dublin for materials from the National Library of Ireland's collection; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that moving items from the national collection to these universities would likely improve the conditions of their storage, and preservation; if her attention has been further drawn to the potential benefit of freeing up properties currently used by the National Library of Ireland for storage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10184/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

67. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to potential conflicts of interest, which existed at the time of the sale, by the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation of an entity (details supplied); specifically if his attention has been drawn to the fact that agents contracted by the corporation to execute the sale also held significant interests in the entity being sold, that the legal advisers on the sale were acting for both the vendor and purchaser in the transaction, and that the reported agreed sale terms included a large payment to the board of the entity being sold and whose votes were obviously required to approve the sale; if so, his views that this presents an alarming set of circumstances to an entity tasked with protecting the taxpayers' interests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10704/15]

Competition Authority Investigations

Catherine Murphy

71. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Competition Authority failed to make a decision on the propriety of an acquisition (details supplied) within the statutory timeframe to commence a phase two investigation; the reason provided to his predecessor for this failure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10734/15]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Murphy

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency has conceded that Ireland will fail to achieve its binding European Union 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target by as much as 15%, and a briefing from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, details supplied, notes that a shortfall, in the range of 1% to 4% on the overall target, could result in significant costs to the Exchequer, the contingency planning his Department is putting in place to cover this eventuality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9989/15]

Sports Capital Programme Data

Catherine Murphy

128. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that when broken down on a per capita basis sports capital grants are unevenly spread throughout the country; if his Department has produced an analysis over the past number of years to determine the best way of allocating these resources to ensure the places with the greatest need get the resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9988/15]

Social Insurance Data

Catherine Murphy

149. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 23 February 2015, the reason her Department does not collect detailed information regarding PRSI receipts by income bracket; if it is possible to execute prudent fiscal management and make budgetary projections in the absence of these data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10516/15]

Departmental Strategies

Catherine Murphy

215. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 157 of 15 November 2011, in which he stated that at no point were Irish pounds being printed or was consideration being given to printing them, if that was in fact the case, in view of comments made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (details supplied); if he will provide, in detail, the contingency plans referred to by that Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10351/15]

EU-IMF Programme of Support

Catherine Murphy

226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 4 March 2015, if he will indicate if the board or management of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation consulted him in advance of the change that took place to the relationship framework and operational protocol, which govern interactions between him, as Minister, and the corporation; the set of circumstances which led to the introduction of a new framework and protocol; where the authority to issue it derived from; those who took the decision to do so, and the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10566/15]

Garda Data

Catherine Murphy

345. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some considerable doubt has been cast over the accuracy of statistical crime data prepared by An Garda Síochána for the Central Statistics Office; if she has read the Garda Inspectorate's recent report, which uncovered evidence of actual crimes being reclassified as non-crimes; her views on the significant problems that inaccurate crime data will have for effective policing and deployment of resources; the steps she will take to address this serious matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10496/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

486. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Dublin does not have an approved special class in order that it could receive enhanced capitation rates, despite having significant numbers of pupils with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10402/15]

National Library

Catherine Murphy

627. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will place a monetary figure upon the value of the national collection held by the National Library of Ireland; if an insurance policy is in place against loss, degradation or destruction of all or part of the collection; if so, if this policy is subject to materials being stored to best international practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10244/15]

Labour Activation Measures

Catherine Murphy

23. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that the indicators used by her Department to show labour market participation are of limited relevance for Ireland's youth and their opportunities to move on to paid employment, education or training; that the resources of her Department would be better used in actively ensuring those not in education, training or employment would have relevant transferable employability skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9360/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Catherine Murphy

26. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the most recent comprehensive rent study that shows the highest year-on-year rent increases occurring in County Kildare (details supplied), and that such increases have increased pressure on an already critical number of persons struggling to attain accommodation within rent supplement limits; the measures she is proposing to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9336/15]

Irish Water Establishment

Catherine Murphy

21. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money in owed development contributions transferred to Irish Water on property vesting day under section 12(8) of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, broken down by the local authority to which they were formerly owed; the amount that has been collected; the amount Irish Water has spent on recovering these funds to date; the amount that has been written off by Irish Water and deemed irrecoverable; if local authorities are still tasked with any element of recovering such moneys, and to what extent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9080/15]

Water Charges Administration

Catherine Murphy

23. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government relating to the composite connection charge levied by Irish Water since 1 January 2014, which was intended to replace the income stream from water and wastewater development contributions, if such charges are appealable under planning legislation; if such charges exist outside the present planning regime; if so, if the ability of Irish Water to vary the rate of such charges, outside of democratic oversight and mandate, is consistent with European law, considering they relate to the development of the natural and built environments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9083/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

75. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 30 of 4 February 2015, the reason he stated in his reply that the sale of an entity by Irish Bank Resolution Corporation prior to its liquidation (details supplied), which resulted in a net loss to IBRC of approximately €105 million, did not meet the financial thresholds which trigger mandatory consultation with the State under Paragraph 4 of the operational protocol for the relationship framework which governed interactions between himself as Minister and IBRC, even though those thresholds clearly state that any adverse impact on the total capital of IBRC of €100 million or more should do so; if he will account for the reason no such consultation took place in this instance; if he received any representations regarding this sale from any of the parties involved; if so, if he will provide the dates and names of parties concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9582/15]

Data Protection

Catherine Murphy

127. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that her Department, by instructing schools to collect and hold personal data relating to primary school students and their family backgrounds, under the primary online database scheme, is not exposing those schools to potential legal difficulties; if, in view of Government legislative proposals relating to data sharing across Departments, she can guarantee that data collected under the scheme will never be shared, beyond the stated purpose for which it is gathered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8828/15]

School Enrolments

Catherine Murphy

135. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on removing the cap for enrolment at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare for the next three years until construction of new school buildings is complete; the number of parents of pupils of the school concerned that have initiated appeals under section 29 of the Education Act 1998 concerning enrolments; if she will arrange a meeting with all stakeholders to look at finding an acceptable solution to the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8827/15]

Climate Change Policy

Catherine Murphy

239. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency has conceded that Ireland will fail to achieve its binding EU 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target by as much as 15%, the financial contingency planning he is putting in place to cover this eventuality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9222/15]

Suicide Prevention

Catherine Murphy

376. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the perilous funding situation of an organisation (details supplied) which conducts vital suicide prevention work in the community; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that funding to tackle suicide has never been of more critical need, considering that the number of suicides reached its highest ever number in 2011 and that Ireland has the fourth highest rate of suicide for men aged 15 to 24 years in Europe; if he will commit to ensuring that vital funding of this organisation will be maintained in the event that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is unable to continue support through the Pobal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8816/15]

Hospital Facilities

Catherine Murphy

431. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will itemise the public car parks at each acute Health Service Executive hospital and voluntary hospital in the State; the private companies which operate them, where applicable; the income derived through car park fees and clamping activities at each car park; if his attention has been drawn to any case where the proceeds derived accrue to hospital consultants, as the owners of said private companies, and, if so, if he will provide these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9266/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

507. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Down's syndrome has been added to the list of disabilities for which individual resource teaching hours is automatically provided; if she will provide an update on the roll-out of this scheme, which was committed to one year ago; the amount her Department has spent in legal challenges brought by parents seeking such resource hours prior to the policy change, and the number of these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9248/15]

Irish Water Remit

Catherine Murphy

568. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of days that elapsed between the coming into operation of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, generally, and the commencement of the statutory authority of Irish Water to issue and collect composite connection charges under section 8 of the same Act; if section 8 still is in effect at this date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9116/15]

Irish Water Remit

Catherine Murphy

569. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the levying of a composite connection charge by Irish Water is consistent with Ireland’s obligations under the Aarhus directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9117/15]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Murphy

573. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that the rationale for the absence of greenhouse gas reduction targets in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 is that Ireland already is subject to binding European Union targets, and that the Minister is on record as stating these same targets are unrealistic and unachievable (details supplied), whether he currently is lobbying for changes to the binding European Union targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9221/15]

Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) who made 723 ORD class social insurance contributions, and 1,078 class A1 social insurance contributions, between 1964 and 2002, may not avail of a treatment benefit payment, owing to a change in that person's class of contributions, for three years after 2002; the reason the contributions made over the previous 38 years count for nothing, when determining that person's entitlement, in this case; if she will instruct the treatment benefit section of her Department to review this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8646/15]

General Register Office

Catherine Murphy

54. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total income derived by the general records office through fees paid by persons searching records at the office's site, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8686/15]

Water Conservation Grant

Catherine Murphy

55. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will share the results of the scoping exercise undertaken in her Department to determine the resources that will be required to administer the annual allowance as set out in the most recent Irish Water legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8720/15]

Tax Data

Catherine Murphy

62. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate, in tabular form, and using the most recently available data from the Revenue Commissioners, the combined pre-tax total declared earnings of all persons, or tax couples, who are, or were, in income bands (details supplied); the number of persons, or tax couples, in each of these income bands; the combined total income tax paid by all persons, or tax couples, in each income band; the combined total universal social charge paid by all the persons, or tax couples, in each income band; the combined total pay-related social insurance paid by all persons, or tax couples, in each income band, for each year from 2005 to 2014, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8584/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

79. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a copy of the relationship framework which governed the interactions between his Department and the former management and board of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC, prior to its liquidation; if he will indicate the precise financial thresholds under the framework which would have triggered mandatory consultation in advance of a transaction and-or disposal; if he will provide a list of all instances where such consultation took place and the sums involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8718/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Administration

Catherine Murphy

221. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extra staffing that has been put in place to administer the forthcoming introduction of the housing assistance payment scheme; the number, and the locations; the amount that has been allocated for this; the new information and communications technology systems that have been put in place to administer the scheme; and the amount that has been spent on same to date [8700/15]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Catherine Murphy

227. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the perilous funding situation of an organisation (details supplied), which conducts vital suicide prevention work in the community; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that funding to tackle suicide has never been of more critical need, considering the number of suicides reached its highest ever number in 2011 and that Ireland has the fourth highest rate of suicide for men aged 15 to 24 years of age, in Europe; if he will commit to ensuring that vital funding to this organisation is maintained by Pobal through the scheme to support national organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8570/15]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Catherine Murphy

229. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a decision will be made in respect of which organisations formerly in receipt of Pobal funding and now in receipt of associated bridging funding will continue to be awarded funding; the amount that will be allocated; the number of organisations in receipt of bridging funding; the number that have applied for continued funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8573/15]

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

245. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he appointed any persons to the board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland without a recruitment competition; if so, the reason for same; if he is satisfied that all persons on the compliance committee of the board of the authority have no conflicts of interest in adjudicating complaints made against broadcasters in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8721/15]

Health Services Staff

Catherine Murphy

31. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the recruitment of extra speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and psychological professionals to address the shortfall which exists in all three areas; the amount of the 2014 allocation of €20 million that was spent on this recruitment; the number of positions that are in place; the number that remain to be filled; the number of persons on recruitment panels; if he will provide a breakdown of the locations, where the new-hires are currently employed; if he is satisfied that the new-hires have addressed particular pressure points for these services, around the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8007/15]

Health Services Provision

Catherine Murphy

45. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if funding will be located by the Health Service Executive, for the exceptional case of a young person with special care needs (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he will provide that person with a full-time residential care setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8006/15]

International Agreements

Catherine Murphy

131. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update to the co-operation activities which have been carried out under the memorandum of understanding on health regulation, training, promotion, hospital standards and so on, with the People's Republic of China, since August 2012; if further agreements are being negotiated or intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8428/15]

Special Areas of Conservation Designation

Catherine Murphy

194. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that significant challenges exist to the proper conservation of the Curragh, County Kildare, principally due to high vehicular traffic and illegal dumping; the measures her Department is undertaking to help preserve the Curragh, in line with the County Kildare biodiversity plan; if she will consider designating the area a natural heritage area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8378/15]

Child Care Costs

Catherine Murphy

133. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost of child care in counties Kildare and Meath and similar high-pressure commuter belt areas has increased dramatically, in recent years; if targeted measures are being considered under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures programme, including the option of targeting resources in very high-pressure areas where a greater demonstrable need is evident; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7746/15]

Youth Services Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

142. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total funding, in each scheme, provided in 2014, under his Department’s youth services grant scheme to special projects for youth, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, local drugs task force projects, local youth club grant scheme and youth information centres; the bodies which benefited and their geographic locations; the total capital funding in each case; the way the spread of funding is calculated, based on need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7747/15]

Security Checks

Catherine Murphy

175. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he or any predecessor in office has ever received a report from the complaints referee appointed under section 9 of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages (Regulation) Act 1993; the dates such reports were received; the findings of any such report; the actions that were prompted in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8269/15]

Garda Deployment

Catherine Murphy

352. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the deployment of the newly trained gardaí graduating from Templemore, County Tipperary; if such deployments will seek to address the present imbalances in service provision; when these deployments will take effect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8309/15]

Youth Services Funding

Catherine Murphy

360. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the total funding, in each scheme, provided in 2014, under his Department's youth services grant scheme, special projects for youth scheme, the young people's facilities and services fund, local drugs task force projects, local youth club grant scheme and youth information centres; the bodies that benefited, and their geographic locations; the total capital funding in each case; the way the spread of funding is calculated, based on need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7860/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Catherine Murphy

465. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the extent to which it is within his remit to consider the health needs of preschool children, with special needs, starting their education in September 2015, if he will ensure enough assessments are made available in good time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8080/15]

Information and Communications Technology

Catherine Murphy

525. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the digital strategy for schools; the current expected publication date; if the draft strategy has been circulated to stakeholders for consultation; if so, the findings of the consultation and what stakeholders took part; if she will ensure that a working hyper-link to the relevant section is placed on her Department's website, as the current link is malfunctioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7837/15]

Local Authority Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

579. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the effect the current recruitment embargo is having on the ability of local authorities to deliver their services effectively in recent years; the local authorities most affected by staff shortages; the measures he has proposed to address these high-pressure areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5740/15]

Water Charges Administration

Catherine Murphy

587. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is in a position to fully appreciate the considerable difficulties which have been placed on families by the failure of Irish Water legislation to properly take account of situations in which an adult person with complicated care needs is living in the family home; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many such adults have little or no income or capacity to earn income, yet are treated the same as an able-bodied adult in terms of liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8114/15]