Written Answers Nos. 186-192
186. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on a submission (details supplied); if he will reply to the requests in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3283/16]
View answerI can confirm that for each of the last four years, there were no cases taken against my Department by civil servants in relation to being retired at age 65. Nor were there any formal objections received to retirement on age grounds.
187. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the proposal to ban roaming mobile telephone charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3433/16]
View answerThe European Parliament and the Council have adopted Regulation 2015/2120 which was published in the Official Journal of the EU on the 26 November 2015. The Regulation imposes further reductions in the maximum permitted roaming retail charges within the EU with the objective of abolishing such charges from June 2017. As interim measures, the Regulation requires mobile operators to further reduce the maximum retail roaming charges from April 2016 when the maximum permitted roaming charges (exclusive of VAT) for voice calls will reduce from 19 cent to 5 cent per minute, the permitted SMS or text message retail charge will reduce from 6 cent to 2 cent and for data downloads from 20 cent to 5 cent per megabit. The Regulation proposes to abolish retail roaming charges in their entirety across the EU, from June 2017.
188. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a submission (details supplied); if he will reply to the requests in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3295/16]
View answerAs my Department has not received any objections from civil servants who were retiring on reaching age 65 years, I cannot provide any of the detailed information requested by the Deputy.
I have asked the non-commercial State Agencies under the aegis of my Department to provide the Deputy with the information requested. If you do not receive a reply from the agencies within 10 days please advise my private office.
189. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding available for the local authority swimming pool programme following his request to chief executive officers of local authorities to submit expressions of interest on 20 January 2016; and given their tag deadline for expressions of interest is 5 February 2016, when he will make a final decision on allocations. [3296/16]
View answerUnder the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to local authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme was closed to new applicants on 31 July 2000. Since 2000, 58 projects have or are being dealt with under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme of which 50 have been completed and the other 8 projects are at various stages of the Programme.
I have commenced the process of opening a new limited round of swimming pool allocations. As the Deputy has mentioned, the Department recently contacted local authorities seeking expressions of interest in such an allocation with 5 February as the closing date for reply. I await receipt of that information before any further decisions shall be made.
190. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the dates, details of, and decisions made at all meetings between his officials and elected and non-elected representatives regarding a sports development (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3387/16]
View answer191. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of agreements and understandings between his Department and the committee of a sports facility (details supplied) in County Donegal; if these are still in force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3388/16]
View answer192. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the development of a sports facility (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3389/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 192, inclusive, together.
I and officials from the Department are working with Finn Harps and the FAI to try to progress this matter. In that regard there have been several meetings over the last couple of years, some of which the Deputy himself has attended. The most recent meeting was between the officials, Finn Harps and the FAI in November. The matter is ongoing.
