Parliamentary questions

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

398. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to support the development of the creative industries sector; if she has reviewed the report from the previous Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the hearings on examining the potential for job creation, innovation and balanced economic development in the creative economy; and if she will implement the recommendations of the report in tandem with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [4088/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

399. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has liaised with the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the development of contemporary art education at primary and secondary level in schools. [4090/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

400. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop a national cultural strategy up to 2025. [4091/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

401. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop musical education and make instruments available to young persons and the general population through facilitating schools, youth groups and libraries to enhance their music resources and the provision of access to musical training and instruments for the benefit of local communities. [4092/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

402. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has examined any proposals to facilitate, on a national basis, the use of vacant retail premises by exhibiting artists based on successful schemes (details supplied). [4093/17]

Heritage Promotion

Joan Burton

403. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her Department will examine a nationwide plan for the development of village design statements that would ensure all future planning and development takes full cognisance of the historic character and protect the character and heritage of villages. [4094/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

404. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will work with the Minister for Health to develop and roll out an arts and health strategy across acute and children’s hospitals and across the community health sector; and the other innovative approaches being considered to use the arts as a means to promote well-being across society. [4096/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

405. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action she is taking with her Government colleagues to systematically address social, geographic and economic barriers to full participation in the artistic and cultural life of the country, particularly for children and young persons. [4097/17]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

406. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the plans in place to ensure the better integration of the arts into education and broadening the focus on science, technology, engineering and maths, STEM, into science, technology, engineering, arts and maths, STEAM; her plans to expand the ambition and resourcing of the arts in education charter and to continue to work with the Department of Education and Skills to further enhance the position of arts subjects within the curriculum at primary and secondary level. [4098/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

407. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will urgently begin preparation of a global arts forum for Ireland, similar to the structure of the Global Irish Economic Forum, which would highlight indigenous talent and map a strong and healthy future for arts and culture at home and abroad. [4099/17]

Departmental Titles

Joan Burton

408. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is the title of her Department and whether she anticipates there will be any further changes to the name of her Department or her Department’s functions; the sections of staff which have been assigned or transferred between Departments as a consequence of changes to her ministerial and departmental structure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4100/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

409. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the role she will have in the Government’s post-Brexit strategy in view of her responsibility for regional affairs and the potentially very negative impact of Brexit on the Border area; if there is a specific unit in her Department to deal with the impact of Brexit on the Border region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4102/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

410. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the recent comments by a person (details supplied) that the Arts Council should be getting three or four times the amount of funding it receives from the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4103/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

411. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the approach she is taking to ensure that the €50 million spent in 2016 on commemoration will be retained in the arts budget for 2017 for the benefit of the arts and culture nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4104/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

412. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will appoint an expert panel of artists and cultural managers to advise her and her Department as proposed by the national campaign for the arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4105/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

413. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on proposals that would mandate all local authorities to publish individual arts plans and cultural strategies and for local authority arts spending to be mandatory and ring-fenced on an annual basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4106/17]

Post Office Network

Joan Burton

414. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which her Department proposes to oversee and monitor the implementation of actions to support the post office network, arising out of the report of the post office renewal board and the post office hub working group, as outlined in point 20 of the Action Plan for Rural Development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4111/17]

Drug and Alcohol Task Forces

Joan Burton

513. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health when a co-ordinator will be recruited for the South Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force to carry out the vital work of direct provision of services and support to the projects and local community organisations operating within its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3944/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Joan Burton

595. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health further to his view that the waiting list for gynaecological appointments in Cork University Maternity Hospital is appalling and unacceptable, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the waiting time for such gynaecological appointments at the Coombe hospital is a year; his views on whether this is appalling and unacceptable also; and if he will provide funding to reduce the waiting time at the Coombe Hospital in view of his commitment to do so for Cork University Maternity Hospital. [4483/17]

National Broadband Plan Data

Joan Burton

665. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his role in the implementation of the national broadband plan; the number of homes in each county he expects to have 30 Mbps broadband speed by 2020; the number of businesses in each county which will be affected by the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4101/17]

Metropolitan Area Networks Programme

Joan Burton

666. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of commercial customers who have availed of the metropolitan area networks, MANs, installed in rural Ireland; the actions to be taken as per action point 240 in the action plan for rural development; if the take up of the MANs can be improved, including through a review of the pricing and other arrangements relating to connections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4107/17]

Rural Transport Services

Joan Burton

698. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposals his Department is working on in conjunction with the NTA to deliver on action points 250 to 254 of the action plan for rural development to work with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new rural transport routes as necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4108/17]

Regional Airports

Joan Burton

699. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the work his Department has carried out to date regarding the investment of €10 million in regional airports, in particular Waterford Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4110/17]

Copyright Legislation Review

Joan Burton

739. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will undertake a full review of the rights of artists here, including a thorough examination of existing copyright laws and the current Competition Act. [4089/17]

Pension Provisions

Joan Burton

94. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Social Protection if sole traders and self employed persons who are in dispute with the Revenue Commissioners on reaching pension age are disqualified from securing the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3543/17]

Northern Ireland

Joan Burton

6. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the contact he has had with Ms Arlene Foster, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, since the resignation of the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness. [1716/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joan Burton

19. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the outcome of his discussions with the Spanish Prime Minister, Mr. Rajoy, during his recent visit to Spain. [2741/17]

Northern Ireland

Joan Burton

82. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Mr. James Brokenshire MP, since the resignation of the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness. [1815/17]

Planning Issues

Joan Burton

129. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of planning enforcement notices and actions taken against owners of housing units that have put these units into a company (details supplied) and are acting as bed and breakfasts, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3252/17]

Planning Issues

Joan Burton

130. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of planning applications received by local authorities to change housing units to bed and breakfasts in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3253/17]

Housing Issues

Joan Burton

131. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a copy of all correspondence to the local authorities from his Department in relation to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3254/17]

Housing Issues

Joan Burton

132. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department carried out any research in relation to the number of housing units that are now operating similar to a company (details supplied) and resulting in a loss to the rental stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3255/17]

Housing Issues

Joan Burton

133. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department carried out any research in relation to the number of housing units that are now operating similar to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3256/17]

Housing Issues

Joan Burton

134. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the action he intends to take to prevent any further loss of rental stock to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3257/17]

Housing Issues

Joan Burton

135. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he raised the issue of the loss of housing units to a company (details supplied) with the four chief executive officers of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3258/17]

Third Level Funding

Joan Burton

178. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has read the USI position paper on the funding of higher education regarding the effects a loan scheme would have on students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2981/17]

State Examinations Reviews

Joan Burton

179. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a progress report on junior certificate syllabus, subject and assessment reforms and his key priorities in this regard for 2017 and 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2982/17]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Joan Burton

180. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; if his Department has proposals to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2983/17]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

181. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reduce class sizes and build on the measures to reduce class sizes in previous budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2984/17]

Education Policy

Joan Burton

182. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he plans to progress the three areas in the education sector that he has identified as his core priority areas of focus in the sector, including helping children with special needs, supporting schools and building a stronger bridge between education and the workplace; the reason he has prioritised these three areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2985/17]

Education Policy

Joan Burton

183. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reform the model of leadership in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2986/17]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

184. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the primary and post-primary average class size figures for Ireland and for other EU member states; his plans to tackle large class size concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2987/17]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Joan Burton

185. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are remaining sections of the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act 2015 to be commenced; the timeframe for commencing such sections; and the number of fitness to teach complaints received and processed to date since he commenced these provisions in July 2016. [2988/17]

Education Policy

Joan Burton

186. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he proposes to publish a draft of the education (parent and student charter) Bill; the details of the proposed pre-legislative scrutiny process; and the timeframe for this. [2989/17]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Joan Burton

187. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he will address concerns that the Teaching Council, in the absence of a statutory complaints procedure for use at school level, will be expected to address complaints which are better resolved at local level and thus have less resources to deal with very serious complaints which may arise. [2990/17]

Third Level Admissions Assistance

Joan Burton

188. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the specific measures he plans in order to deal with concerns regarding third level student support and funding challenges for third level institutions. [2991/17]

Teachers' Remuneration

Joan Burton

189. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his view on whether there is a clear pay disparity between teachers recruited before 1 January 2011 and those recruited thereafter with regard to pay equality for teachers; his further views on whether it is unacceptable to maintain such pay disparities; his plans to address pay equality issues beyond the steps already agreed in relation to restoration of a qualification allowance payment; the cost of restoring teachers recruited since 1 January 2011 to the previous pay scale; the elements which make up this cost; and the number of teachers affected. [2992/17]

School Admissions

Joan Burton

190. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has reviewed the recently published Labour Party Equal Status (Admission to School) Bill; his views on the aims and objectives of the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2993/17]

Teachers' Remuneration

Joan Burton

191. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to issue a directive on implementing pay deductions for members of teachers' unions that rejected working additional hours under the Croke Park agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2994/17]

School Curriculum

Joan Burton

192. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the roll-out of the junior cycle reform process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2995/17]