Parliamentary questions

Schools Refurbishment

Michael Healy-Rae

716. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if maintenance works will be carried out at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14553/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Michael McCarthy

717. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to include the term Down's syndrome on the list of disabilities in all National Council for Special Education literature and applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14569/15]

Public Sector Staff Sick Leave

Áine Collins

718. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the pay a teacher is entitled to when on long-term sick leave. [14581/15]

Student Grant Scheme Representations

Brendan Griffin

719. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if earnings paid in universal social charge will be disregarded as gross income in the higher education means testing system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14595/15]

School Enrolments

Ruth Coppinger

720. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the religion of a child's parents being used to allocate school places; her views on religion not being a criteria for the allocation of school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14598/15]

Schools Administration

Micheál Martin

721. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene in a situation involving a school in County Kilkenny to resolve a lengthy dispute between the parents of a child (details supplied) and the board of management of that school; the best method of resolving this dispute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14620/15]

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme Eligibility

Clare Daly

722. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 226 of 26 March 2015, in which she stated that she had been advised by Caranua that there were no applicants awaiting contact for periods as long as nine or ten months, if she will reconcile that statement in view of the case of a person (details supplied). [14621/15]

Physical Education Facilities

Tom Fleming

723. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to build an Astro pitch at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, in view of the fact that physical education is an integral part of the overall school curriculum, to help promote an understanding of a healthy lifestyle for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14729/15]

School Patronage

Terence Flanagan

724. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the national school system (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14754/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Dara Calleary

725. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was initially informed that the person would receive the special rate of student grant, only to have this offer withdrawn one month later; her views on the fairness of this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14763/15]

Teachers' Remuneration

Jonathan O'Brien

726. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address pay issues for teachers. [14764/15]

School Services Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

727. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to improve pay and conditions for grant-paid school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14765/15]

Industrial Disputes

Jonathan O'Brien

728. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the industrial dispute at Saint Angela’s College in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14766/15]

Sick Pay Scheme Reform

Jonathan O'Brien

729. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on recent calls by teachers to introduce a regularised leave system for teachers who have been assaulted in the workplace, in order that those teachers do not have to use their own sick leave for recovery time. [14767/15]

Teaching Contracts

Jonathan O'Brien

730. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address casualisation of the teaching profession; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14768/15]

Schools Building Projects Applications Data

Clare Daly

731. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and location of schools built under the Fingal schools model; and if he will provide details of any such buildings presently planned for development. [14791/15]

Schools Extra Curricular Activities

Eamon Gilmore

732. Deputy Eamon Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Skills if planning permission is needed to run a crèche and-or afterschool facility in a school; the requirements for running such a facility; the factors to be taken into consideration when making a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14820/15]

State Examinations

Terence Flanagan

733. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify the position in respect of a student suffering an illness (details supplied) during State examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14829/15]

State Examinations

Michael McGrath

734. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork with special educational needs is not being allowed a scribe for the leaving certificate examination except for mathematics; if she will review this case in view of the circumstances [14839/15]

School Staff

Tom Fleming

735. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will retain the current teaching complement at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14841/15]

Schools Designation

Michael Ring

736. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date a review took place regarding the issue of the status of a school (details supplied) in County Mayo under the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme; if there is an ongoing review taking place and, if so, when this review will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14846/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Éamon Ó Cuív

737. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made with retendering a project for a school building (details supplied) in County Galway; when a contractor will be appointed to this project; the expected date for the commencement of building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14861/15]

School Patronage

Thomas P. Broughan

738. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the planned changes to the status of national schools; the proposals regarding the introduction of a lease by deed of variation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14880/15]

Departmental Reports

Seán Kyne

739. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the report on researching the policies and practices in other jurisdictions such as Wales and the Catalan region in Spain that are comparable socio-linguistically to Gaeltacht areas, as identified in the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030. [14886/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Dara Calleary

740. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the changes that have been introduced to special education support services; the rationale behind these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14914/15]

School Equipment

Finian McGrath

741. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding reading equipment in a school in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14940/15]

School Accommodation

Patrick O'Donovan

742. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the payment of a grant under the additional accommodation scheme 2014 to a school (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14955/15]

Semi-State Bodies

Billy Timmins

743. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a list of the semi-State commercial companies under her control; the policy of a dividend payment to the Exchequer from each company; the dividend paid by each company to the Exchequer for each year from 2000 to 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14963/15]

Motor Tax Collection

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

744. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that less well-off motorists who avail of the three-month or six-month motor tax payment option are no longer financially penalised for this essential family finance decision. [13886/15]

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Martin Ferris

745. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the reduction of approximately 50% in social inclusion and community activation programme funds and of 40%, an increase of 70% in some areas, in the number of jobs in local area government services that will be lost; the provision that has been made for this cost; the source of this money; the Department that will be responsible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13964/15]

Motor Tax Exemptions

Arthur Spring

746. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person who is in receipt of invalidity pension or illness benefit, and previously purchased a commercial vehicle in a period when the person availed of the exemption arrangements where persons on illness benefit or invalidity pension could receive permission to work part-time for rehabilitative or therapeutic purposes and keep their full social welfare payment, should be entitled to continue to tax the vehicle as a commercial vehicle, when the exemption expired as a consequence of the person's reduced income; and if such a proposal should be brought to the relevant Minister and Department. [14012/15]

Local Development Companies Administration

Martin Ferris

747. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the recent comments by the Minister of State with responsibility for rural affairs to the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, the role envisaged for Comhar na hOileáin in the future; and his plans to disband it. [14017/15]

Vehicle Registration

Derek Nolan

748. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider vehicle registration tax exemptions for tractors where owners have been incapacitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14033/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Thomas Pringle

749. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the implementation of the housing assistance payment scheme; the counties in which the scheme will be rolled out on a phased basis in 2015; when it will be rolled out in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14111/15]

Environmental Impact Statements

Anne Ferris

750. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the statutory and European Union requirement for the environmental impact statement for the Codling Park offshore wind farm to assess the visual impact of the development from the adjoining coastline, and in view of the fact that the adjoining planning authorities (details supplied) had no statutory role in formally assessing the developer's environmental impact statement and did not do so, if he will confirm the bodies represented on the marine licence vetting committee appointed to advise him that had responsibility and the necessary technical skills for assessing the visual impact of this large-scale development on the coast of County Wicklow; the name and professional qualification of the person or persons who carried out this important aspect of the assessment on behalf of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14214/15]

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Clare Daly

751. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the implementation of the Constitutional Convention's recommendations regarding reform of the electoral system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14270/15]

House Purchase Schemes

Clare Daly

752. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to reinstate the first-time buyer's grant in order to help persons who are finding it very difficult to get on the property ladder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14567/15]

Local Authority Housing

Peadar Tóibín

753. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date by which Meath County Council will receive the funding to the value of €35 million, as committed to tackle the current housing crisis. [13869/15]

Litter Pollution Fines

Ciara Conway

754. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of fines for dog fouling that were issued by Waterford County Council, Waterford City Council and Waterford City and County Council for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13875/15]

House Purchase Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

755. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to re-introduce a first-time buyer's grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13879/15]

Fire Service Staff

Michael Healy-Rae

756. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding pension entitlements in respect of retained fire fighters (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13882/15]

Departmental Funding

Thomas P. Broughan

757. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the scheme to support national organisations; if he will provide bridging funding to the organisations involved while awaiting changes to be implemented; if he will meet with the organisations involved as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13924/15]

Motor Tax Rates

Ruth Coppinger

758. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 599 of 24 February 2015, if his Department regularly reviews the cost of administration of the motor taxation system for those taxing vehicles for periods of less than one year. [13925/15]

Motor Tax Collection

Ruth Coppinger

759. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a system of direct debit or standing order payments for motor taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13926/15]

Capital Assistance Scheme

Tony McLoughlin

760. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a company (details supplied) in County Leitrim can apply for lottery funding from his Department; when this lottery funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13940/15]

Leader Programmes Administration

Éamon Ó Cuív

761. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when final announcements will be made in relation to the forthcoming Leader programme; if it is intended to allow all local community development committees to approve grants of up to €500,000 for non-commercial projects, as in the programme for 2007 to 2013; if not, the proposed ceilings for grants in the new programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13943/15]

Leader Programmes Administration

Éamon Ó Cuív

762. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to review the allocation of funding between counties under the new Leader programme, in view of the fact that larger counties with very dispersed populations and high rurality indexes will receive much less funding, per capita, compared to small counties with much smaller rural populations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13944/15]

Leader Programmes Administration

Éamon Ó Cuív

763. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it will be a condition of the new Leader programme that the Leader programme for the islands will be delivered by an island-based operational company; if not, the reason for the change in policy from the 2007 to 2013 programme; the estimated loss of island-based jobs in the event of an island-based Leader company not delivering the new programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13945/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Patrick O'Donovan

764. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when statutory instruments will be made setting a commencement date for the introduction of the new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines, as provided for in Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13959/15]

Leader Programmes Expenditure

Martin Ferris

765. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of his comments regarding Leader funds spent on local historical books and rural tourism brochures, the amount, and the percentage of the 2007 to 2013 Rural Development Fund Leader funds, that were spent on such documents; his response to the City and County Managers' Association submission of 2 October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13963/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Martin Ferris

766. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will elaborate on the allocation of moneys that were announced by him in respect of Leader funding; if he recognises that it contains many anomalies; the reason County Cork, which has three sub-regions, only received €6 million per sub-region despite the fact that, in his Department's own criteria, each sub-region was supposed to receive a minimum of €3 million per sub-region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13965/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Martin Ferris

767. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is no mention of funds for fishery local action groups in the Leader allocations; his plans to dispense with these groups; if there is money left over from the 2007 to 2013 Leader programme; if so, the amount of money; and his plans for same. [13966/15]

Housing Provision

Terence Flanagan

768. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14008/15]

Freedom of Information Requests

Pearse Doherty

769. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department relating to Irish Water since 1 January 2014; the number of these that were completed, on time, after an extra requested period; the number that were not completed in either of these timeframes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14068/15]

Departmental Funding

Áine Collins

770. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding funding. [14080/15]

Motor Tax Collection

Thomas Pringle

771. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government where the new motor taxation office in County Donegal will be located; when this relocation of the current office will occur; if this relocation is part of the centralisation of the service to one area in County Donegal; if so, if his attention has been drawn to the implications such centralisation will cause, mainly people travelling long distances from isolated parts of the county to a central motor taxation office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14110/15]

Housing Finance Agency

Brian Stanley

772. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of staff employed in the Housing Finance Agency; and the annual cost of its operation. [14119/15]

Housing Issues

Brian Stanley

773. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has carried out a detailed study of houses in County Donegal that have been identified by the MICA Action Group as having defective brick work. [14120/15]

Waste Disposal

Brian Stanley

774. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to appoint a single agency to oversee and manage the collection and disposal of used tyres, which will create a near monopoly situation, and make the cost of disposal more expensive, as a consequence of the increase in the illegal dumping of tyres. [14121/15]

Irish Water Funding

Thomas P. Broughan

775. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total cost to the Exchequer, to date, of establishing Irish Water; and the projected cost for 2015 and 2016. [14133/15]

Waste Management

Finian McGrath

776. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding waste collections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14142/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Éamon Ó Cuív

777. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the incremental tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority dwellings will be operational; the details of the scheme; the way it will affect existing local authority dwellings; when regulations outlining the new scheme will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14144/15]

Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

778. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to his announcement of local authority social housing targets for 2015 to 2017 announced on 1 April 2015, if he will provide a breakdown of the targets for each local authority, by social housing type, that is rental accommodation scheme, leasing, local authority, voluntary housing association and others. [14146/15]

Irish Language

Terence Flanagan

779. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken to promote the use of Irish in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14173/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Derek Keating

780. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a comprehensive report on the measures that have been undertaken to deal with the issue of homelessness, particularly in view of the increase in homelessness as a consequence of the rising cost of rented sector accommodation, allied to the increase in the numbers of persons sleeping rough, and furthermore, given the change from the winter season, which of these measures will remain in place, and the supports available to assist in the prevention of homelessness, when encountered with unreasonable rent increases. [14233/15]

Referendum Campaigns

Terence Flanagan

781. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding voter turnout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14248/15]

Leader Programmes Expenditure

Tony McLoughlin

782. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures and funding schemes in place to improve, via digital means, the footfall for business in many rural towns and villages, such as those in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14265/15]

Postal Voting

Maureen O'Sullivan

783. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the growing interconnected world in terms of employment and travel, his views that the postal vote system is not adequate and that Irish persons working abroad, for example for non-government organisations, should be provided with the opportunity to exercise their right to vote on major social issues, such as the May 2015 referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14266/15]

Grant Payments

Sean Fleming

784. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an estimate of the costs to be incurred by his Department in respect of administering the new conservation grant; the reason this new project was not put out to public tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14279/15]

Community Development Projects

Tony McLoughlin

785. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will investigate the way a separate payment of 1% of local and community development programme funding is now lower in 2015 than the same funding source in 2014, in respect of a centre (details supplied) in County Sligo; if there are measures being implemented by his Department to address this shortfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14303/15]

Legislative Measures

John Browne

786. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on an anomaly in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, which does not expressly prohibit the signing of a private residential lease on a purely commercial rated property, without the property having the benefit of planning permission for a change of use, or building control approval in relation to fire and safety regulations; if he will consider an amendment to rectify this anomaly in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2012, currently awaiting Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14305/15]

Local Authority Management

Patrick O'Donovan

787. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of times that the National Oversight and Audit Committee for local authorities has met, since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14323/15]

Building Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

788. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that the technical guidance document to Part L, 2011 of the Irish Building Regulations requires designers of buildings to achieve a surface temperature factor (fRsi) of 0.75 or better, and in the case of a ground floor junction a relaxation of 0.70 is allowable, if he will confirm the surface resistance value to be used for floor, wall and ceiling planes in the two and three dimensional numerical calculation of the surface temperature under this regulation; if he will provide the surface resistance values for the three planar elements for use in these calculations, when Part L 2011 was first introduced; and the precise date, or dates, when any subsequent changes in these values became part of the building regulations. [14324/15]

Building Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

789. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to building regulations, the amount of mould that is acceptable under Irish building regulations; the precise date of the fRsi regulations; and when a compliant set of approved construction details will be issued. [14325/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Dessie Ellis

790. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 31 March 2015, if he will review the decision to ban rent supplement in Ballymun in Dublin 11, in view of the fact that according to the reply, it is the responsibility of his Department. [14375/15]

Election Management System

Terence Flanagan

791. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding working at polling stations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14381/15]

Drainage Schemes

Patrick O'Donovan

792. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a special certified certificate required for the manufacture of drainage equipment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14408/15]

Illegal Dumping

Michelle Mulherin

793. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent of powers and obligations which local authorities have to control litter and illegal dumping of household waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14430/15]

Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding

Joan Collins

794. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the future funding and status of the Dublin 12 Disability Mainstream Access Project (details supplied). [14452/15]

Housing Provision

Derek Nolan

795. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of units per local authority, announced in the recent housing allocation, broken down between buying, building and leasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14501/15]

Building Regulations

Derek Nolan

796. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures taken to improve the standards of apartments being built; the changes that have been brought about, or will be brought about, in relation to improving sound quality in apartments; in making the move away from a reliance on storage heating; and in improving the overall sizes of apartments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14502/15]

Mortgage Lending

Éamon Ó Cuív

797. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the new limits for mortgages for residential dwelling units, if he will outline the limits for new mortgages for first-time buyers and for those trading up; if he will indicate the rationale for two categories; the exceptions which are allowed for those who previously had a mortgage, but wish to be classified as a first-time buyer; if owner occupiers who purchased homes at a location (details supplied) in Dublin 13 and lost their savings and-or deposits in that development have been refused the classification of the first-time buyer, as regards higher mortgages; in view of the difficulties experienced in this case, if he will instruct that previous owners of homes at the location be treated as first-time buyers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14538/15]

Building Regulations

Michael Healy-Rae

798. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to exempt one-off houses and extensions to existing houses, under the new building controls and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14554/15]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Martin Ferris

799. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount allocated to each local authority in 2014 and 2015 for the adaptation and / or extension works to local authority houses for disabled persons [14585/15]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Martin Ferris

800. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount sought by local authorities in 2014 and 2015 for adaptation and / or extension works to local authority houses for disabled persons. [14586/15]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Martin Ferris

801. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of applications for adaptation and / or extension works to local authority houses for disabled persons, received by each local authority in 2014 and 2015. [14587/15]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Martin Ferris

802. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of adaptation and / or extension works to local authority houses for disabled persons carried out in each local authority area for 2014 and 2015. [14588/15]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Martin Ferris

803. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of applications for adaptation and / or extension works to local authority houses for disabled persons pending completion in each local authority in 2014 and 2015. [14589/15]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility

Dominic Hannigan

804. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure that more families can access the rental accommodation scheme in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14604/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

805. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount his Department allocated to counties Kilkenny and Carlow for the LEADER Rural Development Programme 2014 to 2020; the way it compares to the allocation in the previous LEADER round of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14606/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

806. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if the allocation of LEADER funding to Counties Kilkenny and Carlow is 42.7%, 15% less than the previous round of funding; his views that this is equitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14607/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

807. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the average of the national allocation of LEADER funding that was received by Counties of Kilkenny and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14608/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

808. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he and his Department have received complaints from LEADER companies in Counties Kilkenny and Carlow, regarding the funding that has been allocated to them; the way he will deal with these complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14609/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

809. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if there was a cost benefit analysis on the impact the new allocation of LEADER funding would have in Counties Kilkenny and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14610/15]

Leader Programmes Funding

Michael Moynihan

810. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he has been informed that there will be job losses as a result of the new allocation of LEADER funding by his department in Counties Kilkenny and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14611/15]

Fire Safety Regulations

Arthur Spring

811. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the procedures the housing sections of local authorities have in place to safeguard against the spread of domestic fires in terraced houses due to interconnected flammable materials existing between dwellings. [14690/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

812. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if those families who are awaiting placement through the homeless central placement service have homeless priority on the local authorities' housing lists; if they receive homeless priority status from the day they present to the placement service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14691/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

813. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current direction provided by his Department to the central placement service for the four Dublin local authorities; if persons will retain their place on a Dublin City Council housing list with homeless priority if they are placed in emergency accommodation in Fingal county, for example; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14692/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Thomas P. Broughan

814. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if persons in receipt of housing assistance payment retain their homeless priority on local authority housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14693/15]

Climate Change Policy

Robert Troy

815. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the form of geo-engineering or climate control actions that are being performed in the County Westmeath area in view of the fact that persons have photographs of substances being sprayed in the sky and are concerned for health reasons. [14698/15]