Parliamentary questions

Public Transport Provision

Terence Flanagan

631. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update regarding proposals to provide a new public transport connection between Dublin Airport and Dublin city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4737/15]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Dara Calleary

632. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide, in tabular form, the details of agency staff costs incurred by his Department or its aegis in 2012, 2013 and 2014, including the breakdown of the staff roles involved and the area within his Department's aegis where they are contracted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4744/15]

Road Projects

Tom Barry

633. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reactivate the M20 Cork-Limerick motorway project; and if there is work being done on this project at present. [4767/15]

Public Transport Provision

Richard Boyd Barrett

634. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the tendering out process of Dublin Bus orbital routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4364/15]

Sports Capital Programme Eligibility

Ciaran Lynch

635. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the sports grant scheme is available to a scout troop; if not, the equivalent capital grant system that is in place to assist the work of a local troop with capital projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4827/15]

Tourism Promotion

Michael McGrath

636. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason CIE Tours International is selling tours to the UK from the US; the way the company is managing its foreign exchange risk if it is accepting bookings in US dollars and is paying suppliers in UK sterling; if this is a profitable business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4846/15]

Air Navigation Orders

Clare Daly

637. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the criteria or conditions on which munitions permits are granted to civilian aircraft carrying foreign troops under Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973. [4904/15]

Road Improvement Schemes

Brendan Griffin

638. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the condition of the surface of a street (details supplied) in County Kerry will be improved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4924/15]

Road Safety

John McGuinness

639. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe involved for the consultation process regarding the requirements for testing classic and vintage vehicles; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4926/15]

Sports Events

Bernard Durkan

640. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to liaise with the various national and international sporting bodies with a view to attracting events like the Rugby World Cup to this country on an all-island basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5005/15]

Sports Events

Bernard Durkan

641. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to make contact with various promoters in the sporting sector worldwide with a view to encouraging location of major events here with obvious economic benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5006/15]

Aer Lingus Sale

Bernard Durkan

642. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he continues to recognise the pivotal importance of the need to ensure continued and reliable air service in and out of this island nation in the context of any ongoing discussions in respect of the future of Aer Lingus; if he continues to accept the need to provide for future connectivity requirements in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5007/15]

Transport Infrastructure Provision

Bernard Durkan

643. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which road, rail, air and sea transport facilities continue to be measured in the context of overall integration with particular reference to a maximisation of efficiency and availability of services throughout the country thereby maximising the economic benefit to the economy in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5008/15]

Public Transport Provision

Bernard Durkan

644. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which community rail services are available to the majority of towns and villages throughout the country, the residents of which might expect to commute to larger centres with obvious greater job opportunities on a daily basis; if the existing services are adequately tailored to meet their needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5009/15]

Public Transport Provision

Bernard Durkan

645. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which rail and bus services in County Kildare are co-ordinated in such a way as to meet in full the requirements of the commuters in the various towns and villages throughout the county; the extent to which his Department continues to be appraised in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5010/15]

Road Projects Status

Bernard Durkan

646. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide the necessary funding for the commencement of works in respect of the upgrade of the Naas Newbridge bypass, Newhall interchange, Sallins bypass and Osberstown interchange; if he has received the requisite documentation from Kildare County Council or the National Roads Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5011/15]

Tourism Employment Data

Bernard Durkan

647. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects employment in the tourism sector to increase worldwide in the future; the likely economic benefit to this country arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5012/15]

Regional Airports Closures

Bernard Durkan

648. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that adequate focus remains on the need to ensure the future of regional airports in the context of a modern economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5013/15]

Tourism Promotion

Bernard Durkan

649. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which Ireland is marketed abroad as a business conference centre and having particular regard to the economic need of all the regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5014/15]

Regional Airports Closures

Bernard Durkan

650. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which he sees opportunities to advance the possible development of air transport hubs around some of our regional airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5015/15]

Road Safety

Bernard Durkan

651. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which well-known and identifiable accident black spots remain an issue throughout the country; the extent to which efforts are being made to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5016/15]

Inland Waterways Development

Willie Penrose

652. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the proposed Waterways Ireland canal by-laws, when she will make a final decision on the proposed new by-laws; if she will ensure that such proposals are not overly restrictive and punitive for users of the waterways and that user concerns and their submissions are taken cognisance of in her final decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4481/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Patrick O'Donovan

653. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide, in tabular form, for the years 2007 to 2010 the total photography costs in her Department, including a list of which photographers were booked, the photographers used and breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4487/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Patrick O'Donovan

654. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide, in tabular form, for the years 1997 to 2007 the total photography costs in her Department, including a list of which photographers were booked, the photographers used and breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4503/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Patrick O'Donovan

655. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide, in tabular form, a list of all external public relations firms hired by her Department and associated costs incurred from 2007 to 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4537/15]

Special Protection Areas Designation

Michael Moynihan

656. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the plight of farmers whose lands have been designated as special protection areas for the hen harrier; her views that this designation renders these lands worthless, in areas of rural Ireland where people can least afford these restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4571/15]

Commemorative Events

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

657. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the studies available within her Department to identify Famine graves as they are dispersed across the country; if a register of these graves exists; if local authorities maintain any records in relation to Famine graves; her plans to mark any as yet unmarked Famine plots; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4594/15]

Commemorative Events

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

658. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will designate a specific day, for example the second Sunday of May, in each year as the national Famine commemoration day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4595/15]

Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments

James Bannon

659. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a person (details supplied) in County Longford will be issued with a compensation payment under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4611/15]

State Properties

Brendan Griffin

660. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 15 January 2015, if any property is owned by Údarás na Gaeltachta in the location; if so, if the details of the purchase and maintenance costs of any such property, including greenfield sites, will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4618/15]

Departmental Funding

James Bannon

661. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding she plans to provide to counties Longford and Westmeath for the preservation of protected structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4623/15]

National Monuments

James Bannon

662. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the proposal to purchase the Moat of Granard (details supplied); when this project will proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4624/15]

Hedge Cutting Season

Andrew Doyle

663. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on extending the hedge cutting season from 1 March 2015 to 15 March 2015 as much of the ground was impassable during the recent wet weather; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4809/15]

Special Areas of Conservation Management

Martin Ferris

664. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a copy of any appropriate assessment and opinion issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the plan to dredge the Akeragh River mouth, County Kerry, and remove the sand from the designated dune/beach complex; or if same is not available the reason this Natura 2000 site damage has not been halted by NPWS staff. [4830/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

665. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for amending, or revisiting the Arts Act 2003; if she will review its operation in consultation with the arts community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4850/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

666. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will examine the way the French, Danish or Scottish models in terms of the way they promote and foster the arts in those countries, and specifically, the way they support individual artists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4851/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

667. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her Department's policy on supporting the arts in rural areas; her plans to improve this support and provide more resources to artists in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4852/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

668. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on ways to improve the link between local authorities and the arts and provide local authorities more of a say in the development of national policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4853/15]

Arts Funding

Derek Nolan

669. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, in view of improving budgetary conditions, she will increase funding to the arts in the coming years; if there is long-term plan to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4854/15]

Arts in Education Charter

Derek Nolan

670. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will review the arts and education charter as artists have suggested it is weak and under used; her views on strengthening the role of the artists in such a charter; if she will conduct such a review in consultation with the arts community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4855/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

671. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for reform of the arts sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4856/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

672. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the role of the arts in the health service; if she will provide an update on the experience of same to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4857/15]

Arts Promotion

Derek Nolan

673. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the role of Culture Ireland promoting the arts internationally; her further views on the sustainability of Culture Ireland; the changes that have been made to the role of Culture Ireland since 2008; the reaction Irish artists here and abroad have had to any such changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4858/15]

Arts Plan

Derek Nolan

674. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a report on the role of the Arts Council; her views on the sustainability of same; the changes that have been made to the Arts Council since 2008; the reaction artists have had to any such changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4859/15]

Arts Funding

Brendan Griffin

675. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the sources of funding available to a festival (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4919/15]

Cultural Policy

Seán Kyne

676. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way the name for the new centre at Teach an Phiarsigh in Ros Muc, Connemara, County Galway, was chosen; and if it would be more appropriate to have a name which reflects the historical links of the new centre. [4999/15]