Parliamentary questions

Road Improvement Schemes

Thomas Pringle

267. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the reintroduction of the local improvement scheme to facilitate local authorities such as Donegal County Council to carry out the necessary road repairs in view of the fact the current arrangement by which local authorities can use a percentage of their budgets on such repairs is currently unsustainable; if he will consider its reintroduction in the near future as part of rural revitalisation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7500/17]

Ambulance Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

470. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the details of the proposed establishment of an ambulance base in Buncrana; when and the way in which this will be set up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7141/17]

Waste Tyre Disposal

Thomas Pringle

598. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on concerns outlined by the tyre industry regarding the establishment of an organisation (details supplied) and the potential problems for the industry when the scheme is introduced; if he will engage with representatives from the industry to address these concerns directly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7151/17]

Regional Development Initiatives

Thomas Pringle

13. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to provide initiatives for the establishment of innovation hubs in rural counties such as County Donegal similar to the successful launches of PorterShed in Galway and The Mill in Drogheda; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6188/17]

Hospital Appointments Administration

Thomas Pringle

180. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient paediatrics urology appointments for a person (details supplied) at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin for every month in 2016 and January 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6434/17]

School Transport Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

131. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if children who are to move from an Irish-speaking national school to a secondary school taught through Irish are entitled to school transport when their nearest secondary school is an English language school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6234/17]

Departmental Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

192. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if Roinn na Gaeltachta had any unspent funding in 2015 and 2016; if so, the headings under which that funding came; if the funding was returned to the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6235/17]

Food Imports

Thomas Pringle

238. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the continued exclusion from supplying live brown crab from Ireland to China which has been ongoing for 14 months; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this length of time is significantly longer than similar bans in France and the UK which were excluded for shorter periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6207/17]

Inland Fisheries Data

Thomas Pringle

252. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if Inland Fisheries Ireland has any salmon stock information for the Owenae river in County Donegal including catch figures from anglers, smolts leaving the river and salmon returning to the river for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6236/17]

Bus Éireann

Thomas Pringle

265. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the consequences facing many persons in rural parts of County Donegal such as Inishowen if Bus Éireann routes are reduced or taken away completely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6026/17]

Bus Éireann

Thomas Pringle

283. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the internal transfer of funds within Bus Éireann from its Expressway service to its public service obligation service for each of the past five years; if he will provide a breakdown of the transfer of funds from Bus Éireann to Irish Rail and from Dublin Bus to Irish Rail for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6027/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the implementation of the national broadband plan; the way in which it will be prioritised within the proposals recently announced as part of the action plan for rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5803/17]

Renewable Energy Incentives

Thomas Pringle

66. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce a domestic renewable heat incentive alongside the introduction of the industrial renewal heat incentive currently under consideration by his Department or if there are plans to introduce it in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5804/17]

Visa Data

Thomas Pringle

133. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of visas granted in 2016 to citizens of Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan; the number of persons from each of these countries that were refused leave to land; the number that returned to the country of origin or another third country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5882/17]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Thomas Pringle

357. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the 2014 panel for clerical positions in the civil and public service in the area of County Donegal is due to expire; if there are any candidates to be assigned in County Donegal before this panel expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5962/17]

Home Care Packages Provision

Thomas Pringle

31. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a home care scheme along the lines of the nursing home support scheme; when the consultation will start; when he expects to have a scheme in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4859/17]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

61. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if his Department has evaluated the cost of making diagnostics available in acute hospitals on a seven-day, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. basis; if his Department has considered the impact this could make on waiting times and delays in accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4509/17]

Hospital Beds Data

Thomas Pringle

107. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the total number of acute hospital beds in each of the acute hospitals in the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4508/17]

Mobility Allowance Review

Thomas Pringle

117. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the status of the review being carried out to replace the motorised transport grant; when policy proposals will be presented to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4257/17]

Rural Development Plan

Thomas Pringle

84. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way in which it is intended the Action Plan for Rural Development will increase social provisions in rural towns and maintain the presence of existing social provisions such as post offices, rural Garda stations and bus routes in view of the fact that these vital services are needed to attract new residents into these areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4167/17]

Immigration Data

Thomas Pringle

100. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons of Syrian, Eritrean, Afghan and Iraqi origin who were refused leave to land at points of entry here in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3946/17]

Student Support Schemes

Thomas Pringle

163. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons that applied for the pilot support scheme 2016 (details supplied); the number of persons that were successful in their application for the pilot support scheme 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3791/17]

Education and Training Provision

Thomas Pringle

238. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of tourism and hospitality skills training positions which were allocated to the Donegal constituency in 2015 and 2016; the amount of funding allocated to County Donegal for tourism and hospitality skills training in the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4423/17]

General Practitioner Services

Thomas Pringle

596. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if his Department has evaluated the impact the introduction of free general practitioner care for children aged under six years has had on practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4511/17]

Skills Development

Thomas Pringle

753. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Skills Ireland is charged with responsibility and oversight for the hospitality and tourism skills development policy; the measures she will implement to address the skills shortage for the hospitality and tourism sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4425/17]

Summer Works Scheme Administration

Thomas Pringle

173. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when funding for the 2017 summer works scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2890/17]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Thomas Pringle

174. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will receive funding in 2017 under the summer works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2891/17]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

252. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he expects the Mulcahy report into allegations made concerning certain planning matters in County Donegal to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2892/17]

Judicial Reviews

Thomas Pringle

253. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the cost to his Department in defending judicial review proceedings taken in relation to his use of section 31 of the Planning and Development Acts from 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2893/17]

Brexit Issues

Thomas Pringle

322. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has opened discussions with the EU Commission on mutual recognition agreements between the EU and UK to smooth the impact of Brexit on trade between Ireland and the UK and particularly in relation to all island trade on the island of Ireland. [2811/17]

Wind Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

570. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the rationale used to determine each of the 12 exclusions listed at 4.3.1 of the report on wind turbine noise modelling commissioned by his Department through the SEAI and published in draft format in March 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2889/17]

Third Level Funding

Thomas Pringle

31. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will take on board concerns represented by the Union of Students in Ireland and other representative groups if an income contingent loan scheme is established on the basis of the Cassells report; his views on whether it is a viable solution to third level funding as a graduate debt of more than €20,000 will create a two-tier system of higher education, furthering inequality in society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2015/17]

Institutes of Technology Funding

Thomas Pringle

39. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the ongoing funding issues regarding institutes of technology across the country and in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2006/17]

Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts

Thomas Pringle

51. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the concerns regarding special education teachers who cannot complete their probationary requirements due to the lack of available opportunities and who cannot get permanent posts or places on the supplementary panel as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2007/17]

School Curriculum

Thomas Pringle

53. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a subject on education regarding religions, beliefs and ethics in primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2008/17]

School Admissions

Thomas Pringle

56. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to end the baptism barrier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2009/17]

Multidenominational Schools

Thomas Pringle

57. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will announce his action plan objective to map new approaches to reach the target of 400 multidenominational schools by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2010/17]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Thomas Pringle

139. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the supports available for local community groups such as the Donegal refugee response group to help them facilitate the integration of refugees arriving in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41629/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Thomas Pringle

140. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees arriving in County Donegal in 2017; if not, if she will provide details of the process involved in deciding the persons who will be relocated to County Donegal; if local community groups can be informed beforehand so they can meet the needs of refugees arriving to the area including arranging supports for them to integrate into the local communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41630/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Thomas Pringle

206. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has a confirmed destination for future refugees coming into Ireland; if County Donegal will be one of those destinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1833/17]

Data Protection

Thomas Pringle

671. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the way he will ensure that information given to Seetec, the company registered in the UK which runs the JobPath programme, will continue to adhere to data protection regulations in line with the EU and Ireland as Britain undergoes Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1830/17]

UN Missions

Thomas Pringle

697. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has reviewed the role the Government and the UN played regarding the siege of Jadotville, including the secrecy surrounding those events upon the return of the men of A Company 35th Infantry Battalion following the ambush; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41687/16]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

1031. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children from County Donegal under consultative care in metabolic, neurology and genetics departments in each of the children's hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41683/16]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

1115. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that outpatient appointments for the paediatrics urology surgeon at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin have been cut by up to 50% since October 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41893/16]

Overseas Missions

Thomas Pringle

1715. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will make available the findings of the military investigation into the siege of Jadotville, which left the men of A Company 35th Infantry Battalion to fend for themselves without support; the number of soldiers interviewed as part of that investigation; the reasons A Company was detailed in Jadotville with only a verbal order while that week B Company and a Swedish company were pulled from their position in Jadotville; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41685/16]

Overseas Missions

Thomas Pringle

1716. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will release the radio recordings made to and from the A Company 35th Infantry Battalion during the siege of Jadotville; the reason its calls for backup support during the ambush were not met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41686/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Thomas Pringle

17. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay in delivering on the implementation of UNCRPD here; the efforts being taken to speed up the process taking into account a ten-year delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40300/16]

Legislative Measures

Thomas Pringle

59. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the latest six month ENAR Ireland report representing a higher level of reporting than the previous six-month period of racist incidences and racist crime; her plans to progress with hate crime legislation in view of this report and of the increase in hate crime rhetoric surrounding recent elections across the globe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40301/16]

Departmental Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which the additional 21% provided in the 2016 budget to fund sexual violence victims' services has been allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40295/16]

Departmental Funding

Thomas Pringle

73. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way she will ensure the implementation of the minimum standards outlined by the 2015 EU victims' directive in respect of adequate funding for sexual and domestic violence services. [40296/16]