Parliamentary questions

Social Welfare Fraud Investigations

Thomas Pringle

534. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the procedures in place, if any, to prevent racial profiling as part of the new crackdown on fraud; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46581/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Thomas Pringle

657. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to provide any guidance in relation to possible public health impacts that may arise from wind turbine developments to assist in the assessment process as highlighted by the recent An Bord Pleanála inspector's report, ref PL05B.240166; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45025/13]

Legislative Process

Thomas Pringle

826. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a date for the implementation of the mandatory vetting of organisations working with children provided for under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46991/13]

Wind Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

37. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking to ensure that Irish workers, crew, boat builders and installation companies are given priority when installing offshore wind infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45026/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Thomas Pringle

50. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the outcome of the wind energy guidelines focused review, the deadline for which closed in February; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44803/13]

Environmental Impact Statements

Thomas Pringle

57. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the court rejection of the Corrib gas terminal licence application if he will consider a system where environmental impact assessments for planning applications are undertaken independently by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44804/13]

Institutes of Technology Issues

Thomas Pringle

104. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the process of replacing a chairperson of an institute of technology (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45169/13]

Wind Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

333. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking to ensure that Irish workers, crew, boat builders and installation companies are given priority when installing offshore wind infrastructure, supporting and creating employment in a growing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44826/13]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Thomas Pringle

379. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding Gweedore sewerage scheme in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44825/13]

Voluntary Work Option Issues

Thomas Pringle

52. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider introducing clearer guidelines for the accessibility of the voluntary work option to ensure that jobseekers can make a valuable contribution to society while still being eligible for a jobseeker's payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43407/13]

State Pensions Reform

Thomas Pringle

60. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to Social Justice Ireland's proposal for a universal pension whereby every person over the age of 65 years would have a pension of €230.30 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43406/13]

Industrial Relations Issues

Thomas Pringle

36. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a county manager (details supplied) is refusing to take the necessary steps to have notices issued in accordance with Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2001 for the regular monthly meetings of the borough council unless the elected councillors agree to participate in a mediation process administered by the Labour Relations Commission commencing on the 24 of October 2013; if it has been drawn to his attention that the Labour Relations Commission has not consulted the councillors; if he will consider amending the Industrial Relations Act 1990 so as to ensure that all parties are consulted in advance of such proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43849/13]

Fish Quotas

Thomas Pringle

356. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the negotiations between the EU and Iceland on the ongoing dispute in relation to mackerel quotas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43487/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Thomas Pringle

83. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional special needs assistants that have been approved since the deadline of 20 September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42177/13]

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme

Thomas Pringle

124. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being made for the fund for awards from the redress board to be drawn down from central allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42178/13]

County and City Enterprise Boards Issues

Thomas Pringle

292. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the salary scale for chief executive officer of county enterprise boards; the length of service of each CEO; the severance packages or pensions available to them should they leave their post on the dissolution of the county enterprise boards on or before the enactment of the County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42408/13]

Garda Station Issues

Thomas Pringle

440. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the downgrading of Donegal town Garda station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41998/13]

Disability Support Services Provision

Thomas Pringle

551. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the progress he is making in creating a new scheme to replace the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant; when this will be in effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42008/13]

Human Rights Issues

Thomas Pringle

15. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contacts he has had with the British authorities in relation to the number of citizens being held in prison in Northern Ireland without being tried or charged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41179/13]

Passport Application Fees

Thomas Pringle

64. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the decreased cost in producing the new passports will result in a reduction in the cost for citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41180/13]

Taxi Regulation Review Report Implementation

Thomas Pringle

61. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that existing taxi and hackney licence holders can apply to provide the rural hackney service; if he will ensure that new licences will only be considered in the event of a failure to get enough applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41231/13]

Regional Road Network

Thomas Pringle

83. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding for bridge replacement on regional roads to support local and tourism infrastructure. [40889/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

434. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, the fixed wireless access technologies he intends to accept in principle as NGA; the nominal maximum service radius that he will attribute to each qualifying FWA technology; the contention rates that will apply; and if these contention rates will be hard set and guaranteed in the future. [40947/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

435. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, the mobile technologies he intends to accept in principle as NGA technologies; in the case of LTE advanced, the specific elements of the draft 3GPP standard that will be required to qualify; the provisioning requirements that will be required in the case of each mobile technology to qualify as NGA, including the maximum number of residences and businesses to be provisioned by a cell sector and the required amount of spectrum to be available per sector per provider in each of the relevant spectrum bands. [40948/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

436. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, and regarding mobile technologies that he might include, the requirements he deems necessary to ensure the required quality of service level to users at a fixed locations while serving other nomadic subscribers in the area of interest as required by the state aid guidelines; the nominal data service radius he intends to attribute to each qualifying mobile technology at 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz and 2100 Mhz; if he plans to carry out coverage modelling in respect of all qualifying mobile cell sectors; the way he intends to verify that mobile coverage; the way he intends to ensure that qualifying mobile services remain properly provisioned through time. [40949/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

437. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, the VDSL variants that will be accepted as NGA; if they will qualify in principle or qualify subject to individual line speed test; if the mapping will include tested eligibility or submitted coverage or service areas based on radius; and in the case of eligibility if he will outline the qualifying line test speed that will be accepted as NGA. [40950/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

438. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan in the case of service radius, the nominal speed that will be be attributed to each VDSL variant at 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, 400 m, 500 m, 600 m, 700 m, 800 m, 900 m,1000 m, 1100 m and 1200 m; if those are straight line distances or cable lengths; the factor that will be used to convert straight line distance to cable length for the purposes of mapping qualifying VDSL areas; and what is the nominal service radius beyond which each VDSL variant will no longer be accepted as sufficiently fast. [40951/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

439. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan and in relation to planned VDSL services, if vectoring or bonding are considered as qualifying planned investments and the assumptions that will be used regarding speed uplift to each VDSL variant, at 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, 400 m, 500 m, 600 m, 700 m, 800 m, 900 m,1000 m, 1100 m and 1200 m, due to vectoring and separately due to bonding; and the separate assumptions that have been made for card level and for system level vectoring. [40952/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

440. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, which fibre to the building and fibre to the kerb technologies will be mapped; and what will be the definition of deployment in relation to these technologies; if in-building or kerb-to-building cabling will count as additional infrastructure and if unlit deployments will qualify for inclusion. [40953/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

441. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, which fibre to the home technologies will be mapped; if unlit deployments qualify for inclusion; the requirements that will be in place regarding wholesale access in respect of planned FTTH investments and in view of the fact that a single FTTH infrastructure is more likely in rural areas if he will require multi-fibre P2P architectures for eligibility as planned investments as recommended by the State aid guidelines. [40954/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

442. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, which cable technologies will be mapped; and the requirements that will be put in place in respect of planned investments. [40955/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

443. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access and basic broadband maps being prepared for the national broadband plan, which mapping application software is being used; the radio wave propagation software that is being used; the source reference of the elevation data being used; if the elevation data includes structures and vegetation; and if providers who do not supply coverage data will have their service areas estimated or excluded from the map. [40956/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

444. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, the action he will take in respect of credible information from a member of the public regarding the non-availability or not-spot of an indicated current service at a specific location and if he intends to register, retain and publish such information from the public. [40957/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

445. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, if he intends to carry out field tests to verify the map; the methodology that will be employed in carrying out field tests; and if there are other means he intends to employ to verify the map. [40958/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

446. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan and in relation to the plausibility test for planned investments required by the EU state aid guidelines, the business case plausibility criteria that will be used to evaluate planned investments; the financial data that will be required from providers to provide assurance that the investments will in fact materialise; if a financial bond will be required to provide further assurance in that regard; and the way that bond would be calculated. [40959/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

447. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan, if he will confirm that 19 July 2013 is the final date for completion of planned investments to qualify for inclusion on the map; and the percentage of area of the planned investment that must be completed by 19 July 2013. [40960/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

448. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the next generation access map being prepared for the national broadband plan and in relation to the finalised intervention areas, if a grid, similar to the electoral division grid used in the national broadband scheme, will be used to delineate the boundaries of the identified intervention area; the type of grid to be used in the NBP such as ED, CSO small areas square blocks; the block size in the case of a block grid; and the percentage area of NGA cover in a grid element below which will trigger inclusion of that element in the intervention. [40961/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

449. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the national broadband plan, if the NBP contractor will be contractually and financially enabled to step in to extend intervention coverage where planned private investments identified in the mapping exercise fail to materialise or are below the forecast quality in terms of performance or provisioning or are behind schedule; if similar remedies will be undertaken in the case of those excluded because of the vagaries of the grid system employed, or because of mapping errors; if a contingency fund will be available for this purpose; if he will require progress reviews of planned investments; and the intervals at which they will be carried out. [40962/13]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Oversight

Thomas Pringle

54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to provide for increased public beds in community hospitals in order to prepare for the doubling of the over 65 population here over the next ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40062/13]

Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Working Conditions

Thomas Pringle

58. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the direct involvement he has had with the IMO to resolve the dispute with the non-consultant hospital doctors over the implementation of the European working time directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40061/13]

Subsidiary Protection Administration

Thomas Pringle

31. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider introducing legislation for a single procedure for the assessment of subsidiary protection that is separate to the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill in order to improve this process without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39857/13]

Fiscal Policy

Thomas Pringle

75. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the impact on the fiscal deficit if Government expenditure in 2014 was maintained at 2013 levels, with only increases or reductions based on carryover effects from budget 2013, and with a growth in GDP of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39966/13]

Emigration Issues

Thomas Pringle

115. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any assistance available for persons wishing to emigrate but do not have the financial means to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39965/13]

Prison Education Service

Thomas Pringle

143. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the schemes available to assist former offenders to access the labour force or training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39865/13]

Garda Operations

Thomas Pringle

144. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if An Garda Síochána has access to drones for surveillance and intelligence gathering here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39866/13]

Defence Forces Equipment

Thomas Pringle

173. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces have purchased or intend to purchase any drone aircraft for surveillance purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39967/13]

Rural Development Programme Funding

Thomas Pringle

90. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure that there is provision for State matching funding for EU rural development funds available in 2014 to maximise the funding available to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39513/13]

Grant Payments

Thomas Pringle

92. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is going to couple any payments under the recently concluded new Common Agricultural Policy; the options or schemes he is considering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39512/13]

Social Workers Recruitment

Thomas Pringle

3. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the action she will take to address the situation whereby social work teams are considerably understaffed resulting in lengthy delays for children in need of their services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38725/13]

Proposed Legislation

Thomas Pringle

40. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to introduce legislation to ban violence against children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38726/13]