Parliamentary questions

Cycling Facilities Provision

Paul Murphy

850. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he will take to increase the road space available to cyclists to ensure greater safety and distance from vehicles. [13913/15]

Road Safety

Paul Murphy

851. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department will conduct a public information campaign aimed at motorists, related to the safety of cyclists on roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13914/15]

Cycling Policy

Paul Murphy

852. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions he has taken to increase the number of cyclists; and his future plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13915/15]

Wildlife Conservation

Paul Murphy

893. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the extinction of Irish hares from North Bull Island in Dublin City; her further views on action to restore and preserve Irish hares on the island; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14558/15]

Mortgage Arrears Report Implementation

Paul Murphy

9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views on the latest Central Bank of Ireland release "Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions Statistics: Quarter 2014" (details supplied) which shows an increase in the number of mortgages in arrears over 720 days and large levels of arrears in buy-to-let loans; his views on the levels of repossessions outlined in the release; and if his Department is instructing banks to consider the housing needs of those affected by repossessions. [13104/15]

European Council Meetings

Paul Murphy

35. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the most recent meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, ECOFIN, with particular reference to the agreement between the European Union and Greece. [13103/15]

National Internship Scheme Data

Paul Murphy

212. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 15 July 2014, since that reply issued, the number of investigations that have taken place following complaints made by interns on the JobBridge scheme; the number of these that resulted in a finding against a host organisation; the number of companies that have been banned from the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13016/15]

Labour Activation Measures

Paul Murphy

213. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 73 of 1 May 2014, since that reply issued, the number of persons who have had their jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance reduced or suspended for refusing to engage with labour activation schemes. [13017/15]

Youth Guarantee

Paul Murphy

214. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 1 May 2014, since that reply issued, the number of persons who have had their jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance reduced or suspended for refusing to take part in JobBridge under the youth guarantee. [13018/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Paul Murphy

215. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 1 May 2014, since that reply issued, the number of persons who have had their jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance reduced or suspended for refusing to take part in the gateway scheme. [13019/15]

National Internship Scheme Data

Paul Murphy

216. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 5 March 2014, if, since that reply issued, any Department or statutory body has been banned from making use of the JobBridge Scheme. [13020/15]

National Internship Scheme Data

Paul Murphy

217. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that have taken part in the JobBridge scheme in the Fingal, South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, Dublin City, County Carlow and County Kilkenny local authority areas; the number that are ongoing; and the number that are completed. [13021/15]

Work Placement Programmes

Paul Murphy

218. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have taken part in the gateway scheme in the Fingal, South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, Dublin City, County Carlow and County Kilkenny local authority areas; the number of placements that are ongoing; and the number that have been completed. [13022/15]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Paul Murphy

304. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the discussions held regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Commission and at the recent Council of Ministers meeting held in Riga in Latvia; and his position on the model of investor state dispute settlement for the partnership. [13147/15]

Social Workers Recruitment

Paul Murphy

427. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the shortage of social workers for children at serious risk; the measures he will take to remedy this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12824/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Paul Murphy

448. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the situation at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, where availability of theatres for surgical procedures is severely curtailed due to budgetary measures, which results in longer waiting lists, hardship for patients and frustration for staff who cannot provide the quality of service they wish for patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12823/15]

Library Services Provision

Paul Murphy

654. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a system of charges for the use of local authority library services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13128/15]

Trade Agreements

Paul Murphy

21. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the State, in October 2014, communicated to the European Commission its support for the inclusion of an investor state dispute settlement mechanism in the transatlantic trade and investment partnership negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12087/15]

Employment Rights

Paul Murphy

29. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on au pairs and domestic workers being paid the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12086/15]

Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Working Conditions

Paul Murphy

142. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the measures he will take following the opinion of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice maintaining the State is in breach of European working time directives in relation to medical doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12322/15]

International Terrorism

Paul Murphy

155. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the attack on persons at a museum in Tunis, Tunisia. [12323/15]

Third Level Funding

Paul Murphy

170. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the open letter from over 900 scientists to the Government (details supplied); her plans for the successor to the strategy for science, technology and innovation 2006 to 2013; and her further views on increasing funding for basic research across all scientific disciplines. [12292/15]

Defence Forces Equipment

Paul Murphy

134. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 14 January 2015, the measures and procedures in place, and research done, to ensure the research and capability development engaged in by the Defence Forces is not used in violation of human rights; if he will provide details of the companies the Defence Forces have co-operated with in doing research; and if he will provide details of the projects they have co-operated in. [11646/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Paul Murphy

306. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the remaining vacancies on the interim board of the Office of Public Procurement will be filled; the criteria for selecting appointees; and when legislation setting up the board on a permanent basis will be expected. [11948/15]

Defence Forces Contracts

Paul Murphy

406. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if Defence Forces personnel on exchange with the United Kingdom defence forces, as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed recently with the United Kingdom, may participate in overseas missions that have not been approved by Dáil Éireann, in conditions additional to the current circumstances where overseas deployments of not more than 12 personnel or unarmed personnel do not have to be approved by Dáil Éireann; his plans to publish the full text of the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed with the United Kingdom. [12036/15]

Defence Forces Contracts

Paul Murphy

407. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the legal conditions under which Defence Forces personnel on exchange with the British military, as per the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed with the United Kingdom, will operate, that is, if they will be subject to the normal laws and regulations governing the overseas deployment and military operations of the Irish Defence Forces, or if will they be considered legally part of the United Kingdom's defence forces while they are on exchange. [12037/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Paul Murphy

580. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 525 of 14 January 2015 and subsequent correspondence (details supplied) detailing the absence of a reply from the Health Service Executive concerning the treatment of a person, his views on the procedure of referring parliamentary questions to the executive for direct reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11266/15]

Hospital Services

Paul Murphy

682. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will undertake a full audit of brain injury services here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11843/15]

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Paul Murphy

683. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on the shortage of beds in specialist neurosurgical centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11844/15]

Hospital Investigations

Paul Murphy

713. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a complaint made in respect of hospital care provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12032/15]

Passport Applications

Paul Murphy

742. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department's policy and procedures in dealing with passport applications of adults with reduced decision making capacity. [11683/15]

Middle East Issues

Paul Murphy

746. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the political developments in Israel following the recent general election; his further views on the impact of the election results on the prospects for the recognition of the State of Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11950/15]

Institutes of Technology

Paul Murphy

754. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the negotiations and discussions that have taken place at a local level between local management and local trade union representatives in Dublin Institute of Technology, Tallaght Institute of Technology and Blanchardstown Institute of Technology, in respect of the proposed merger of these three institutes and the anticipated change in their status; her views on the matter of trade union engagement in this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11074/15]

Road Safety

Paul Murphy

987. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the dangers of head injuries, his views on the compulsory use of helmets by cyclists on public roads; if he will promote the use of helmets by cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11845/15]

Energy Policy

Paul Murphy

9. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the consultation process with interested parties on the new energy policy document that is due to be published this summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10514/15]

Renewable Energy Generation

Paul Murphy

22. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of renewable energy. [10515/15]

Local Authority Expenditure

Paul Murphy

247. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the amount spent by local authorities on outsourced services per local authority in the past five years; and if he will provide in tabular form the amount paid by local authorities to third parties for maintenance on local authority vehicles and machinery. [10773/15]

Aer Lingus Sale

Paul Murphy

136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has met with Aer Lingus workers' representatives, to discuss the possible sale of the State's shares in the airline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9980/15]

Bus Éireann Services

Paul Murphy

141. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had communication with the National Transport Authority regarding the potential impact on rural bus services of the recently announced changes to services by Bus Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9981/15]

European Financial Stability Facility

Paul Murphy

216. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views that the recent master financial assistance facility agreement with Greece should be approved by Dáil Éireann before being enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10356/15]

Foreign Policy

Paul Murphy

447. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the imprisonment of an opposition political leader (details supplied) in Malaysia and the subsequent arrest of political activists critical of the jailing. [9903/15]

Middle East Issues

Paul Murphy

449. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 201 of 17 December 2014, the steps he has taken on the recognition of the state of Palestine since his reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10213/15]

Social Welfare Code

Paul Murphy

12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will change the recently launched First Steps scheme, specifically in relation to penalties, which will be applied to the social welfare payments of those who refuse to participate, in view of the National Youth Council of Ireland's report (details supplied). [9374/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Paul Murphy

21. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the analysis carried out of the impact the changes to the one-parent family allowance will have on poverty levels, deprivation and the level of employment among lone parents; and if she will reverse the decision to end payments to those whose youngest child is aged seven. [9375/15]

House Prices

Paul Murphy

78. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views on the desirability of house price increases; if the policy of his Department should be to encourage or discourage increases in house prices; and if his Department conducts assessments of the likely impact of its policies on house prices. [9656/15]

Litter Pollution Legislation

Paul Murphy

246. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the exemption from litter fines for election advertising, under sections 19 and 21 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended, covers advertising promoting a registered party but not containing the name of a candidate. [9654/15]

Housing Issues

Paul Murphy

247. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of income being spent on housing costs he regards as affordable; his views on the steps the Government is taking to ensure availability of affordable housing for all households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9655/15]

Water Charges Administration

Paul Murphy

248. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Commission for Energy Regulation permitting Irish Water to increase water charges after 2019 if revenue is less than Irish Water expects and that Irish Water may retain profits for an extended period without passing these on to consumers through reduced bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9657/15]

Housing Issues

Paul Murphy

249. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has concerns regarding the possible influence the high proportion of Teachtaí Dála who are landlords or have other property interests or both, as detailed in the latest Register of Members’ Interests, may have had in the past or may have in the future on housing policy. [9658/15]

Water Charges Administration

Paul Murphy

3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the contingencies his Department is taking for mass non-payment of water charges; the plans in place to increase funding from the State to Irish Water; if an assessment has been carried out on the impact this would have on the EUROSTAT market test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9119/15]