Parliamentary questions

Services for People with Disabilities

Pádraig MacLochlainn

728. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 723 and 1146 of 22 September 2015, his plans to introduce new legislation, or to amend existing legislation, to clarify the definition of an assistance dog; and if he will ensure that there is the appropriate oversight and accreditation of the training of assistance dogs, and of their provision to persons with disabilities. [34599/15]

Planning Issues

Brendan Griffin

729. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a local authority has the right to use section 160 of the Planning Act to prevent persons from playing football on private property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34601/15]

Building Regulations

Richard Boyd Barrett

730. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that staff shortages in local authorities are a contributing factor to the small number of part VIIIs that have been agreed across all the local authorities. [34639/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

731. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of National Asset Management Agency properties, broken down by local authority area, that have been identified by the agency as suitable homes for inclusion in the social housing list; the number, that have been offered to each of the local authorities; that have been transferred to the local authorities; and the scheme under which have they been transferred, for example rental accommodation scheme, housing assistance payment, social housing leasing initiative, etc. [34640/15]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

732. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount paid out by his Department in each local authority area for the rental accommodation scheme, housing assistance payment, and social housing leasing initiative; the number of homes that are provided under each scheme in each local authority for each month in 2015; and if he will compare the amount to the same months in 2014. [34642/15]

Capital Assistance Scheme Funding

Richard Boyd Barrett

733. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount that has been provided from his Department to each local authority through the capital assistance scheme; the number of homes that have been provided in each of the local authority areas over the past year. [34643/15]

Building Regulations Compliance

Richard Boyd Barrett

734. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government since the announcement of Strategy 2020, the number of part VIIIs that have been agreed by each local authority; the number of one-, two-, three- and four-bed homes that are in each agreed part VIII; if he will provide details of part VIII's in the pre-agreed stages, by local authority; and the timeframes for the allocation of these planned homes. [34644/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

735. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of homes that have been acquired by local authorities through the part V scheme over the past year; and the number he projects for 2016. [34645/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

736. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government given his targets for 2015 in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, which included 1,400 to be built or acquired by local authorities and approved housing bodies, 3000 to be provided through the social housing leasing initiative, 1,000 through vacant units returned to use, 2,000 through the rental accommodation scheme and 8,400 through the housing assistance payment; if he will provide a full breakdown for each local authority, confirming the number that have been delivered in 2015 to date; and if he expects to meet his targets by the end of 2015. [34646/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Richard Boyd Barrett

737. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his targets for 2016 under the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in each of the funding models, including construction and acquisition. [34647/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

738. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details, by category, and by local authority, of the spend on social housing support, including each of the different funding models, social housing construction, and acquisition, in each year since 2011 to date in 2015; and the projected funding for each of the various models in the coming years to 2021. [34648/15]

Departmental Funding

Richard Boyd Barrett

739. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount that was allocated from his Department to the Social Housing Strategy 2020; the amount of this that was, transferred from other budgets; new funding; collected from the local property tax; the amount of this revenue that was spent; is projected to be spent over the lifetime of the strategy; and if he will provide details of the breakdown of this funding, by each funding model of the strategy. [34649/15]

Foreign Policy

Richard Boyd Barrett

740. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will bring to the attention of the European Commission, which, through European Union Council Regulation EC No. 2368/2002, represents Ireland and all other European Union member states in the Kimberley process certification scheme, of the urgent need for reform of the definition of a conflict diamond, in order that diamonds which generate revenue for government forces guilty of war crimes or crimes against humanity, blood diamonds, are no longer allowed to contaminate the diamond market masquerading as conflict-free diamonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34227/15]

Departmental Programmes

Michael Moynihan

741. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No.1551 of 22 September 2015, if he will publish a list of all contractors who have been de-registered from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland register of contractors specifically due to substandard workmanship and failure to meet the terms of the scheme's quality assurance programme, while excluding the contractors who may have opted to leave the scheme for their own reasons; his views that it is in the public interest to distribute this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34065/15]

Departmental Staff

Patrick O'Donovan

742. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details of the numbers of supernumerary positions in his Department, and those agencies, organisations or bodies funded by his Department; the maximum period in each case that supernumerary positions have existed; the total cost in maintaining supernumerary positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34138/15]

Broadcasting Charge

Terence Flanagan

743. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the public service broadcasting charge (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34417/15]

National Broadband Plan Expenditure

Michael Moynihan

744. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated target spend under the national broadband plan; the breakdown in Exchequer funding and other sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34422/15]

National Broadband Plan Expenditure

Michael Moynihan

745. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the initial outlay planned in the infrastructure and capital investment 2016 to 2021 for the national broadband plan; if the original spending target for this plan will be reached; the additional spend that will be allocated, and the timescale for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34423/15]

Broadcasting Charge

Tony McLoughlin

746. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland's call for the creation of a new fund, which would support public service broadcasts on independent radio stations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34428/15]

Departmental Reports

Ciara Conway

747. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the outcome of the public consultation on Ireland's eel management plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34554/15]