Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe McHugh

1. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Taoiseach if he will outline his discussions as Head of the Irish Government with the British Government about the work of Dr Richard Haass in Northern Ireland. [44108/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has recently met Dr. Richard Haass; and if he will report on the matter. [45917/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

3. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with Dr. Richard Haass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47667/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

4. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the discussions he has had with the British Government in respect of the Haass talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47675/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

5. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he has set a date for a meeting with the families of the Ballymurphy campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47696/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

6. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has met Dr. Richard Haass recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47846/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

7. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the issue of the disappeared with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48808/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

8. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the issue of the disappeared with members of the Northern Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48809/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

9. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he is determined to fully implement all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48810/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

10. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if there were discussions regarding the disappeared at the recent North-South meeting in Armagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48813/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

11. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if the issue of the disappeared was discussed at the British-Irish Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50145/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

12. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed the Haass talks with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, during the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council in Jersey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50215/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

13. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he had discussions with the British Prime Minister at the European Council meeting on 19 December 2013 regarding the Haass talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55568/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

14. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he had discussions with the British Prime Minister at the European Council meeting on 19 December 2013 on the refusal of his Government to establish a public inquiry into the murder of human rights lawyer, Mr. Pat Finucane. [55569/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

15. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he accepts the recommendations of the Haass report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2197/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

16. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach his views on the final recommendations made by Dr. Haass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2200/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

17. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach his views on whether there will be agreement on the recommendations made by Dr. Haass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2201/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

18. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the position regarding his discussion with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, on the recommendations made by Dr. Haass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2203/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

19. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the Dr. Haass recommendations with the Northern Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2204/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

20. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has any concerns regarding the lack of consensus on the recommendations from Dr. Haass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2205/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

21. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, the outcomes of discussions with Dr. Richard Haass. [2211/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

22. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, the outcome of the Haass talks. [2220/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

23. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the discussions he had with Dr. Richard Haass prior to Christmas. [2221/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

24. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he has had any discussions with Dr. Richard Haass or Dr. Meghan O'Sullivan since the new year. [2222/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

25. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the outcome of the Haass talks with the US Administration since the new year. [2223/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

26. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed with the US Vice President, Joe Biden, during his recent discussions in Japan, the efforts of US diplomats Dr. Richard Haass and Dr. Meghan O'Sullivan to resolve some of the outstanding issues arising out of the Good Friday Agreement. [52593/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

27. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his discussions with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, during his visit to Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52594/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

28. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed the efforts of Dr. Richard Haass and Dr. Meghan O'Sullivan to negotiate resolutions to outstanding Good Friday Agreements with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, during his visit to Japan. [52595/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

29. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, during his visit to Japan, the need for greater co-operation and an all-island strategy to ensure that the Government and the Northern Executive minimise competition for inward investment between North and South. [52596/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

30. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness; if he will report the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52670/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

31. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed the issue of the disappeared with the Northern Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3536/14]

Unemployment Data

Willie O'Dea

105. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the progress made through the Pathways to Work strategy; the current long-term unemployment statistics; the current rate of youth unemployment here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3956/14]

Work Placement Programmes

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

106. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the planned JobPath programme, including the expected start-up and annual costs; the approximate portion of these costs that will go to profits for private companies; and if the existing local employment services will see any reduction in their funding from her Department in parallel with the implementation of the JobPath programme. [3954/14]

Drug Treatment Programmes Places

Maureen O'Sullivan

107. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding drug community employment schemes; the numbers on the scheme; the vacancies; the reasons for the vacancies; the age profile of the participants; the numbers availing of extensions on the schemes; and if she will identify areas of concern for the scheme. [3958/14]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Willie O'Dea

108. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reform the rent supplement scheme; if her attention has been drawn to reports that many tenants are being asked to pay top-up payments to landlords for rent that is above the maximum allowance limit under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3957/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

109. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the conclusion of the Union of Students of Ireland in its document, Vision for Post-Bailout Ireland, that the JobBridge scheme is beyond repair and should be phased out; and the steps she will take in response to same. [3955/14]

Respite Care Grant Payments

Colm Keaveney

110. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has carried out any analysis of the impact of the respite grant cut in the 2013 budget on the lives of persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3678/14]

Job Initiatives

Joe Higgins

111. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is concerned that a company (details supplied) has advertised for 28 positions through the JobBridge scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3589/14]

Civil Registration Legislation

Seán Kyne

112. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill and its progress in view of ongoing concerns regarding the registration of deaths abroad. [3761/14]

Youth Employment Initiative

Bernard Durkan

113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she and her Department expect to make major inroads on youth unemployment in the current year, unilaterally or with the assistance of the appropriate EU support; if a particular effort will be made to target unemployment black spots; if emphasis will be placed on the provision of a minimum number of apprenticeships, with particular reference to sectors particularly affected with high levels of unemployment; if she is satisfied that the resources available to her Department in this regard are adequate to meet such requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3671/14]

National Internship Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

114. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason behind the requirement that people on the Youthreach programme must finish that programme and sign on so that they are in receipt of a jobseeker's payment before they can take part in the JobBridge internship programme, in view of the fact that a young person coming off a Youthreach programme, and aged under 24 years, can only receive a maximum of €100 on jobseeker's allowance, and a further entitlement of €50 on the JobBridge scheme, giving a maximum payment of €150 a week which is less than the payment they currently receive under Youthreach; her views on whether these barriers prevent Youthreach participants from seeking internships and improving their employment prospects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3675/14]

Social Welfare Overpayments

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

115. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will take steps to limit the period within which her Department can demand the repayment of overpayments, in cases excluding fraud, to bring it into line with the period people can claim tax relief for expenditures operated by the Revenue Commissioners, which is generally four years; and if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons who have been asked to commence paying back an overpayment that ceased more than four years prior to the demand that it be repaid. [3521/14]

Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility

Charlie McConalogue

116. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reversing the changes she made to farm assist, with respect to income disregards, in view of the fact that it has had a serious negative affect on the income levels of struggling farming families; the reason she refuses to carry out an analysis to assess the impact the changes have made on those families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3676/14]

Youth Unemployment Measures

Simon Harris

117. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if the issue of youth unemployment falls within the remit of a Cabinet sub-committee; the Departments and Ministries under which that responsibility for addressing youth unemployment falls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2195/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

118. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a new advance filtering system to prevent potentially odious positions from gaining access to JobBridge; and if she will review and report on the effectiveness of existing provisions in this regard. [3525/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Catherine Murphy

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of rent supplement supported tenancies that were reviewed downwards as per reductions in rent supplement maximum limits per county in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the value and percentage of rent per family reduced at each review stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3679/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Patrick O'Donovan

120. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the recent announcement by the British Prime Minister to introduce changes to UK welfare rules for inward migrants into the UK, if she has examined the proposals; her plans to introduce changes to rules governing the payments of benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3517/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Richard Boyd Barrett

121. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 11 of 28 November 2013, in relation to the national rent allowance caps, the results of her monitoring of rent levels; her views on whether the current rent allowance caps are sufficient to ensure that accommodation needs of those in need are met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3682/14]

Social Welfare Code Reform

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

122. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will take the legislative or other necessary steps to ensure people who are parenting alone and continue to satisfy the means test requirement for one-parent family payment will not be transferred from that payment to the back to education allowance with the resultant loss of the maintenance portion of their student grant for the duration of their course. [3524/14]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

123. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the crisis in rent supplement, including an update on claim processing times; and the total number of rent supplement recipients who will be transferred to the new housing assistance programme by the end of 2014. [3523/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Catherine Murphy

124. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has recorded a reduction in the number of applications for rent supplement; her views on whether upward price pressures has resulted in families increasingly struggling to find homes available in the current property market that adhere to the rent supplement limits or below them; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that such a trend is excluding those dependent on social welfare from securing a family home; if updated statistics on the composition of the homeless lists have been provided to her to assist in the formulation of policy in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3680/14]

Pensions Reform

Clare Daly

125. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she has taken to ensure, in the guidance notes for the Pensions Board relating to the recently enacted Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013, that a scale of protection to recognise length of service, age, duration and varying contributions made is included to protect members with long pensionable service and contributions; and that the Pensions Board is required to not just notify pensioners about reductions but to provide for negotiations and appeals. [3527/14]

Disability Support Services Provision

Colm Keaveney

126. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Protection the activation measures she has in place for 2014 to help persons with a disability to find employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3677/14]

Rural Social Scheme Administration

Éamon Ó Cuív

127. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to approve more places on the rural social scheme to help with coastal rehabilitation works following the recent storms; whether she is willing to provide additional materials and-or money for the existing schemes along the coast for this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3518/14]

Community Welfare Services Provision

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

128. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the community welfare service walk-in service to the public health centre in Athy, County Kildare, thereby ensuring residents in this RAPID town continue to have direct access to community welfare officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3681/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Mick Wallace

129. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is acceptable for companies using the JobBridge scheme to request a PhD as the minimum educational requirement to be held by applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3673/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Bernard Durkan

130. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she is aware of the increasing level of hardship and threat of homelessness arising from the ongoing increase in the cost of private rented accommodation; the current maximum rent support available to those families on local authority housing lists who are dependent on private rental sector with support from her Department; if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing withdrawal of the private rental sector from this end of the market and the likelihood of a serious level of homelessness increasing on a daily basis, which, in turn, will lead to widespread and severe hardship; if any initiatives will be taken to address this issue which arises from the failure of her predecessors to invest in the public housing sector in view of the existence of circa 100,000 families on the various local authority housing lists throughout the country with particular reference to Dublin and the surrounding counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3670/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Thomas Pringle

131. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any concerns that companies requiring interns under the JobBridge scheme to have PhDs in a particular field may be using such highly qualified persons to displace staff or to avoid job creation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3672/14]

Youth Guarantee

Simon Harris

132. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has submitted her Department's plan for the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ireland; the actions in this plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2194/14]

Pensions Reform

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

133. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reinstate her Department's pension forecast service, which was available to PRSI contributors in the past, in view of the great uncertainty and anxiety that has arisen from impending changes to the State pension, and the unreliability of the private pension system to provide adequate retirement income more generally. [3522/14]

Housing Assistance Payments Implementation

Thomas P. Broughan

134. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding reforms to rent supplement payments; and when the housing assistance payment system will be in place. [3519/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Richard Boyd Barrett

135. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a person (details supplied) who has recently received notification that they are ineligible for rent supplement allowance as they are in full-time education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3683/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Mick Wallace

136. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the analysis that has been carried out by her Department to determine if reductions in rent supplement have resulted in an increase in homelessness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3674/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Joe Higgins

137. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider prohibiting the use of the JobBridge scheme for posts aimed at PhD holders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3590/14]

Community Welfare Services Provision

Clare Daly

138. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria for the establishment and location of Intreo offices; if it is appropriate that these services should lead to existing well supported amenities being relocated. [3526/14]

Pensions Reform

Thomas Pringle

139. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to introduce mandatory pension coverage for workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3693/14]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Thomas P. Broughan

140. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the waiting times for social welfare appeals to be decided in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, including the key social protection benefits and allowances. [3520/14]

Job Creation Data

Dara Calleary

141. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the number of new businesses that were established in 2013; if this represents an increase from the figure in 2012; the number of jobs these businesses created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4193/14]

Job Creation Data

Dara Calleary

142. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the net number of jobs that were created in the construction sector during 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4199/14]

Job Creation Data

Dara Calleary

143. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the net number of jobs that were created in the creative services sector during 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4201/14]

Employment Data

Dara Calleary

144. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach if employment in the international financial services sector increased during 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4203/14]

National Minimum Wage

Dara Calleary

145. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the number of employees here who are paid the statutory minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3153/14]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Tom Fleming

146. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of all consultancy firms engaged by his Department during 2013; all the relevant fees paid to them during this period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3586/14]

Departmental Contracts Data

Lucinda Creighton

147. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Taoiseach the total amount of outsourcing that has been achieved in his Department since the letter sent by the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in March 2012, to all Departments; the names of the outsourcing companies that have been involved; the total savings achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3587/14]

Departmental Bodies Establishment

Dara Calleary

148. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the number of new agencies and State bodies established since 9 March 2011 under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3588/14]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

149. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Taoiseach the number of semi-State companies, under his Department's remit, that have paid bonuses to their employees in 2011, 2012 and 2013, inclusive; if he will identify the semi-State companies; the number of employees and the level of bonuses paid; his views on the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3708/14]

Jobs Data

Bernard Durkan

150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the total number of jobs created on a county basis in each of the past three years to date; the number of jobs lost in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3498/14]

National Archives

Sandra McLellan

151. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Taoiseach the number of files from his Department that were released at the end of December 2013, under the National Archives Act 1986, for public inspection in January 2014; the number of files that were not released; the reasons, under the Act, for not releasing the files; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4063/14]

Departmental Bodies

Michael McGrath

152. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Taoiseach if he will, in respect of his Department's audit committee, provide details of its current membership; the date of appointment of each member; the fees paid to each member; if members of the committee are required to hold certain professional qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4224/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Pearse Doherty

153. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the number of appointments to State boards under the remit of his Department, that were made as a result of applications made through the publicjobs.ie website in the past three years; the number of board posts that were advertised on publicjobs.ie; the number of board posts that were not advertised on the website but were directly appointed; and the average pay to directly appointed board members. [4599/14]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Eoghan Murphy

154. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Taoiseach the level of pro bono work provided to his Department by legal, accountancy and consulting firms in the past 24 months; which of the firms, if any, have also been awarded State contracts by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4612/14]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Eoghan Murphy

155. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of the top 20 consulting firms engaged by his Department, including public bodies, in order of fee generation or cost. [4626/14]

National Internship Scheme Data

Gerry Adams

156. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of JobBridge interns taken on in County Louth by his Department from September 2013 until January 2014. [3607/14]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

157. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the kidnapping of human rights defenders in Syria, including persons (details supplied) alongside a human rights lawyer; if he is pursuing the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3618/14]

Diplomatic Representation Expenditure

Dominic Hannigan

158. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Irish staff, by grade, and the number of local staff, by grade, in our embassies in countries (details supplied); the costs of each embassy, split by staff costs and non-staff costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3623/14]

Human Rights Issues

Finian McGrath

159. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason no real progress has been made on a case (details supplied) with the authorities in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3624/14]

Public Sector Pensions

Mary Lou McDonald

160. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 62 of 15 January 2014, if he will provide details, as requested, regarding his Department, as provided by all other Ministers. [3793/14]

Departmental Bodies

Michael McGrath

161. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will, in respect of his Department's audit committee, provide details of its current membership; the date of appointment of each member; the fees paid to each member; if members of the committee are required to hold certain professional qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4218/14]

Passport Applications

Tony McLoughlin

162. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a person's child (details supplied) is entitled to an Irish passport. [4229/14]

Foreign Policy

Seán Crowe

163. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the 20-year legal battle between Ecuadorian communities in the Amazon and Chevron-Texaco over one of the world's most severe environmental disasters; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that the communities won the legal case for compensation in 2011 and that Chevron are still refusing to pay the legally required compensation; his views on the actions of Chevrons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4247/14]

UN Committees

Brendan Smith

164. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the resolution entitled civil society space; creating and maintaining, in law and in practice a safe and enabling environment, at the Human Rights Council of the UN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4285/14]

Human Rights Issues

Brendan Smith

165. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the resolution entitled Preventable Mortality and Morbidity of children under five years of age as a human rights concern at the Human Rights Council of the UN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4286/14]

EU Membership

Brendan Smith

166. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the most recent discussions he has had with the British Foreign Secretary and with other members of the British Government concerning Britain's continued membership and participation in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4289/14]

EU Meetings

Brendan Smith

167. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a detailed report on the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4291/14]

Overseas Development Aid

Tom Fleming

168. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding accountability of €4 million Irish Aid fund to Uganda in 2012 which went missing; if the €4 million has been recovered; if prosecutions followed; the control systems that have been put in place since to ensure that all Irish foreign aid is secure and reaches its destination 100%; the total amount of foreign aid in 2013; the amount given to each recipient country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4304/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Pearse Doherty

169. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of appointments to State boards under the remit of his Department, that were made as a result of applications made through the publicjobs.ie website, in the past three years; the number of board posts that were advertised on publicjobs.ie; the number of board posts that were not advertised on the website but were directly appointed; and the average pay to directly appointed board members. [4594/14]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Eoghan Murphy

170. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of pro bono work provided to his Department by legal, accountancy and consulting firms in the past 24 months; which of the firms have also been awarded State contracts by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4608/14]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Eoghan Murphy

171. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a list of the top 20 consulting firms engaged by his Department, including public bodies, in order of fee generation or cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4621/14]

European Investment Bank Loans

Mary Lou McDonald

172. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of investment sought and received by the Government from the European Investment Bank for each year from 2007 to 2013; the details of the projects for which this money was sought; and if he will outline the Government's contribution towards each of these projects. [3784/14]

Tax Credits

Brendan Griffin

173. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding single payment tax credits; if he can justify the changes introduced by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3943/14]