Parliamentary questions

Agriculture Schemes

Martin Browne

834. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an appraisal has been carried out of the outworking of the mandatory reduction obligation contained within the BEAM scheme; and if he will amend the criteria in light of the challenges created by Covid-19. [41729/20]

Climate Change Policy

Martin Browne

835. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to provide payments to farmers in respect of the carbon that is released from the atmosphere as a result of their soils and hedgerows. [41730/20]

Forestry Sector

Martin Browne

838. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of backlogged forestry licences in the system; his views on claims to the COFORD Advisory Council that the figure could be as many as 4,600; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41800/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

Martin Browne

63. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by artists and creatives in accessing the pandemic unemployment payment due to the delays caused by the PRSI checks; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that it is leaving persons that had received payment in March 2020 unable to access the payment during the current restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37319/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Martin Browne

90. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on concerns that survivors of an institution (details supplied) and their relatives regarding the possibility that unmarked graves and remains may remain at the site; if consideration will be given to enabling digs to take place on land around the site considering the owner of land is willing to allow that; the status of the progress being made relating to the forthcoming report and the data contained within the report of the commission of investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40772/20]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Martin Browne

93. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the Facing the Future Together report which identifies the ongoing and future needs for the survivors of mother and baby homes and those incarcerated in residential institutions, industrial schools and other places of detention; his plans to implement the supports recommended in this report; his views on the statistics and findings contained within the Facing the Future Together report regarding the impacts and consequent needs of survivors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40773/20]

National Transport Authority

Martin Browne

173. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport the reason there is no rail representative on the National Transport Authority; his plans to address this shortcoming; his views on the disadvantage this poses for the development of rail and timetables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40854/20]

Livestock Issues

Martin Browne

190. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of livestock movements, that is, sales of cattle and sheep, between buyer and seller from farm to farm including marts for 2019; and the number to date in 2020. [40638/20]

Beef Industry

Martin Browne

191. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the term mart as defined in the Animal Health and Welfare (Livestock Marts) Regulations 2018 could also apply to an online market place; the requirements that such a venture would have to comply with in an effort to be able to operate as such; and his views on the matter. [40639/20]

DEIS Scheme

Martin Browne

68. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education her views on the reason class size reductions were only committed to for DEIS band 1 senior schools in budget 2021; her plans to commit funding to reduce class sizes in DEIS band 1 junior and vertical schools; the way in which the investment of €5 million in the DEIS programme will be distributed; her further views on the importance of properly funded DEIS schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40140/20]

School Transport

Martin Browne

102. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education her views on the way in which the education of a child with learning difficulties could be affected if that child’s single parent is no longer able to afford to pay for a private school bus service due to there being no public school buses in their area serving a school that is just 6 km away; her further views on the impact the lack of a suitable school bus services in areas of County Tipperary will have on families that cannot afford a private service; if she will consider providing a subvention for parents in this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40141/20]

Motor Insurance

Martin Browne

123. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Finance if he has asked the motor insurance industry to provide refunds to learner drivers, who typically pay very high premiums until they receive their licences but have been unable to take the tests due to Covid-19 restrictions. [36600/20]

Electoral Process

Martin Browne

249. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the electoral register as it is compiled at the moment; his views on the archaic manner in which access to the register is devised; his views on the public consultation process that took place in 2019 on modernising same; his plans to modernise the register as outlined in the programme for Government; the progress made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39423/20]

Child Protection

Martin Browne

331. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Justice her views on whether parental alienation is a growing problem in Ireland; and her plans to address the matter. [39370/20]

Commercial Rates

Martin Browne

117. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to ensure that no services suffer as a result of the loss of revenue being experienced by local authorities in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. [38278/20]

Local Authority Housing

Martin Browne

123. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on Tipperary County Council evicting three persons from a property due to the fact that they are over the threshold (details supplied); his further views on the way in which they will be put on the housing list as a result and will claim the HAP payment until they are rehoused; his views that this course of action is going to cost Tipperary County Council more in the long run; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38277/20]

Driver Test

Martin Browne

240. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport his views on the cancelation of theory tests as part of the level 5 restrictions; and his plans to process the backlog as swiftly as possible once level 5 restrictions are lifted. [38169/20]

Tourism Promotion

Martin Browne

57. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on the development of a regional tourism area connected by Cashel, Cahir and Tipperary, County Tipperary; her further views on the wealth of areas of natural beauty that are in the region of these three towns; if consideration will be given to developing the area as a localised tourism region that could be promoted as such; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37320/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Martin Browne

473. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the case of a school in south County Tipperary which has advised parents that students are to bring in an extra jumper and small blanket to keep warm as windows will be left open and heating turned off as part of Covid-19 measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36272/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Martin Browne

21. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Transport the measures his Department has taken to provide support for pilots who have not been able to fly for much of the year as a result of Covid-19; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as a result many are facing not having the minimum flight hours to qualify for a pilot licence under EU legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35802/20]