Parliamentary questions

Ministerial Appointments

Micheál Martin

1. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the board appointments he has made recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50123/13]

Ministerial Appointments

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has made any board appointments recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9025/14]

State Visits

Gerry Adams

3. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52527/13]

State Visits

Gerry Adams

4. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he reached any specific agreements with the Government of Japan on job creation and investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52528/13]

State Visits

Micheál Martin

5. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he held any bilateral meetings in Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52569/13]

State Visits

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he has had with Japanese Government officials during his recent visit to Japan. [53717/13]

State Visits

Micheál Martin

7. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if the issue of Japanese-Chinese relations was discussed at the bilateral with Prime Minister Abe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53723/13]

State Visits

Richard Boyd Barrett

8. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meetings with the Japanese Government during his visit to Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6349/14]

Official Engagements

Gerry Adams

9. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed with the US Vice President Joe Biden, during their conversation in Japan, the absence of a US ambassador to Ireland; if the Vice President clarified the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52591/13]

Official Engagements

Gerry Adams

10. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he discussed with the US Vice President Joe Biden during his recent discussions in Japan the continuing plight of the undocumented Irish living in the United States. [52592/13]

Official Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

11. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden in Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52668/13]

Official Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

12. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if the issue of corporation tax here was raised at his meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden in Japan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52669/13]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

13. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the US Vice President; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53718/13]

Official Engagements

Micheál Martin

14. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if Japanese-Chinese relations were discussed at his bilateral with US Vice President Biden; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53724/13]

School Enrolments Data

Charlie McConalogue

99. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools from the September 2013 returns on pupil numbers that fall into the following categories: schools with 85 pupils, 54 or 55 pupils, and 17 to 19 pupils; the number of schools in the September 2013 pupil returns that are in each of the categories 81 to 84 pupils, 49 to 53 pupils, and 12 to 16 pupils, and therefore already subject to increases in pupil-teacher thresholds introduced by him; when he will publish the full details of the September 2013 pupil returns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9361/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

100. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the anomalies within the Student Universal Support Ireland grant application system that are causing extreme hardship for many students. [9431/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Finian McGrath

101. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding providing resource hours for children with Down's syndrome in mainstream schools. [9352/14]

State Examinations Reviews

Charlie McConalogue

102. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of times and dates on which he has personally engaged in meetings with the teaching partners to discuss junior certificate reform proposals since becoming Minister; the status of progress on implementing the junior certificate reform programme; if he will commit to independent assessment of the new junior cycle student award as recommended by the National Council on Curriculum and Assessment working group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9362/14]

Schools Amalgamation

Jonathan O'Brien

103. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are proposals by a number of patron bodies to amalgamate primary schools and the distress that this is causing to parents and pupils as a result; and his plans to address this situation. [9432/14]

Educational Reform

Patrick O'Donovan

104. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the recent reports into the benefit or otherwise of giving homework to children in primary schools, if he will consider engaging with the stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of homework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9098/14]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Charlie McConalogue

105. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way his Department is preparing for the anticipated surge in pupil numbers at post-primary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9140/14]

School Accommodation

Seán Kyne

106. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate the options open to a primary school with prefabricated classroom accommodation owned by his Department which is in need of urgent repair, particularly in consideration of the current replacement scheme which favours schools with rented prefabricated classroom accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9088/14]

School Guidance Counsellors

Maureen O'Sullivan

107. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the national audit of guidance and counselling practice in second level schools in Ireland 2011-2013; the implications of the national audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8918/14]

School Transport Administration

Lucinda Creighton

108. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the European Commission is likely to investigate his Department for breach of state aid rules; if he has taken any pre-emptive action by his Department regarding the school transport services administered by Bus Éireann on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9154/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

David Stanton

109. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has issued written policy documents or guidelines for schools regarding integrating children with special needs, in particular autism spectrum disorders, into mainstream schooling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8919/14]

Third Level Grant Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department has studied the number of applicants for higher education courses who are refused funding or back to education allowance on the grounds that they have previously studied or completed a course at a similar level on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, despite the fact that their existing qualification is deemed to be insufficient to meet the requirements of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9166/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Clare Daly

111. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that children with Down's syndrome due to start school in September will be given automatic access to resource teaching hours equal to those on offer in respect of children in the low-incidence category.. [8916/14]

School Curriculum

Ciara Conway

112. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made in relation to the draft leaving certificate politics and society course; when he plans to roll it out to schools; the way it will relate to the review of the CSPE programme at junior cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9027/14]

School Health and Safety

Thomas Pringle

113. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to restrict the availability of confectionary products in schools; if he will consider a ban on the selling of such products on school premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9156/14]

School Transport Administration

Lucinda Creighton

114. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his views on whether the European Commission may make adverse findings against his Department for being in breach of EU state aid rules in respect of the school transport services administered by Bus Éireann on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9155/14]

Schools Establishment

Seán Kyne

115. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the progress of establishing a primary level school in Galway city in the format of the Steiner model of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9087/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

David Stanton

116. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on progress with regard to a large number of school building projects in the east Cork area due to go to construction in 2014-5, as per his Department's five year school building programme announced on 12 March 2012, in particular two new primary schools in Midleton (details supplied), the amalgamation of the two primary schools in Carrigtwohill and a new second level school in Carrigtwohill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8920/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Seamus Kirk

117. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be no introduction of a capital assets test for assessing eligibility for third level student grants; if he will be publishing the report of the capital asset test implementation group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9141/14]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Joanna Tuffy

118. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress this year with the Student Universal Support Ireland grants service and supports provided by his Department for access programmes in our third level institutions for disadvantaged students; if his Department has had consultations with the teaching colleges to consider offering access programmes specifically to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to train as teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8910/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

119. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure wireless connectively in every classroom; the ICT supports there will be for the introduction of standardised testing for second year students in 2016; if he is considering a national system for technical support for ICT in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9151/14]

School Guidance Counsellors

Charlie McConalogue

120. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make a policy decision to utilise the facility database in his Department, which is the database used by schools for making their returns, to determine if all post-primary schools are complying with the requirements of section 9(c) of the Education Act; the schools which employ a guidance counsellor with a qualification recognised by his Department and the schools which do not do so; the number of hours each of these guidance counsellors was given to do his or her specific guidance work in 2011-12 in comparison with 2012-13; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9147/14]

School Curriculum

Mick Wallace

121. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the manner in which young persons are educated about sex and issues such as abortion in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6634/14]

School Curriculum

John Lyons

122. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the draft leaving certificate politics and society course; when he plans to roll it out to schools; the way it will be assessed; the way it will relate to the review of the CSPE programme at junior cycle, in view of the fact that course will no longer be compulsory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8911/14]

School Staffing

Éamon Ó Cuív

123. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of two class teacher, three teacher, four teacher and five teacher, excluding learning support and resource teachers but including teaching principals, schools that have lost teachers in the school years commencing September 2012 and 2013; the number due to lose teachers in September 2014; the name, address and roll number of each school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8907/14]

School Enrolments Data

Denis Naughten

124. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to share school enrolment data with the Department of Social Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8908/14]

School Curriculum

Brendan Smith

125. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the need for an external assessment model to support the process of school-based assessment in the junior cycle framework, if he will be proposing a model of external assessment; if he will provide information regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9152/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Colm Keaveney

126. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that children with dyslexia are receiving the help they require in school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8969/14]

Schools Amalgamation

Billy Kelleher

127. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the role his Department plays in schools amalgamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9090/14]

School Curriculum

Catherine Murphy

128. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the precise guidelines and regulations schools must adhere to in the delivery of sex education to pupils; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some schools invite external organisations to provide sex education based on religious beliefs and practice which may be contrary to proper medical advice without seeking parental consent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9138/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Mattie McGrath

129. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the works promised for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9096/14]

Early Years Strategy Implementation

Robert Troy

130. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the final report on the Síolta quality assurance programme which he launched on 7 February last; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9158/14]

School Curriculum

Charlie McConalogue

131. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify recent comments made by him at the Irish Primary Principals' Network conference suggesting that teachers could choose not to teach religion in primary schools; if he is therefore planning to make changes to time allocated to teaching religion in the curriculum in this regard; his plans to address teachers' concerns regarding curriculum overload; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9144/14]

Child Protection

Charlie McConalogue

132. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the actions he will be taking following the judgment from the European Court of Human Rights in the case of a person (details supplied). [9146/14]

Schools Amalgamation

Jonathan O'Brien

133. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to recent proposals by religious patrons to close a number of primary schools across the State and the consequences this will have for children and communities. [9165/14]

School Accommodation

Richard Boyd Barrett

134. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he does not feel it appropriate to talk to the parents and board of management of a school (details supplied) in view of the uncertainty surrounding location for the school which is due to open in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9148/14]

Child Protection

Catherine Murphy

135. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, in view of European Court of Human Right's Judgment 027(2014), he will introduce comprehensive reforms of the funding-management model of schools to ensure a strong foundation of the sector going into the future; if he will provide details of the implications of the judgment for the current model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8912/14]

Early Years Strategy Implementation

Robert Troy

136. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the key priorities his Department has in 2014 to ensure a high quality early years education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9159/14]

Third Level Fees

Thomas P. Broughan

137. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the future of third level fees here; and if there will be any further support schemes, such as the student assistance fund, introduced for students attending third level institutions who are experiencing financial difficulty. [8913/14]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Jonathan O'Brien

138. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to accommodate the 15% increase in the numbers beginning second level education over the next five years; his plans to address teaching shortages in some subjects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9163/14]

School Curriculum

Brendan Smith

139. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the resources needed for the successful implementation of the new junior cycle framework, if he will consider lifting the moratorium on posts of responsibility in order that schools can appoint appropriate personnel to educational leadership posts, namely, moderation co-ordinators at school level and moderation facilitators at subject level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9153/14]

School Curriculum

Jonathan O'Brien

140. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is concerned at some of the lessons that are being taught to children by external groups in schools for sex education; and if he is concerned at some of the teaching methods they use which have been the subject of recent media reports. [9162/14]

Third Level Staff Recruitment

Jonathan O'Brien

141. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the staffing shortage in the third level sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9164/14]

Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge

Éamon Ó Cuív

142. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad iad na beartais sa Straitéis Fiche Bliain don Ghaeilge a bhaineann lena Roinn atá curtha i bhfeidhm go dtí seo, agus na beartais a bhfuil sé i gceist iad a chur i bhfeidhm; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [8906/14]

School Accommodation

Patrick O'Donovan

143. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of consideration that is given to health and safety constraints that exist in schools who apply for funding for remedial works to be carried out; the mechanism in place for schools to submit risk assessments and health and safety statements as part of their application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9099/14]

Child and Family Agency Remit

Thomas P. Broughan

144. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the transfer of the National Education and Welfare Board from his Department to the Child and Family Agency; and to indicate the role his Department will continue to have in monitoring school attendance figures. [8914/14]

State Examinations Reviews

Thomas Pringle

145. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he is to address the concerns of the TUI and ASTI regarding the junior cycle student award ahead of balloting their members on industrial action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9157/14]

Third Level Funding

Jonathan O'Brien

146. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which he will receive the Higher Education Authority report on funding third level education. [9215/14]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Denis Naughten

147. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an assessment of the impact that changes to pupil-teacher ratios is having on class numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8909/14]

Schools Amalgamation

Billy Kelleher

148. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason two primary schools (details supplied) in County Cork are being proposed for amalgamation despite the overwhelming opposition of parents of children at both schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9089/14]

Third Level Participation

Colm Keaveney

149. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take to ensure a greater participation by persons with disabilities in third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8968/14]

Schools Building Projects Administration

Bernard Durkan

150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department proposes to re-evaluate the school building programme on the basis of emerging school place requirements arising from unprecedented population growth; the extent to which such demographic requirements are likely to require an augmentation of the building programme in the short term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9167/14]

Education Grants

Clare Daly

151. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the high enrolment figures, if he will sanction a devolved grant for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to enable them to immediately provide a permanent extra classroom and to change the school to band rating 1 for an extension in view of the appalling condition of the existing prefabs. [8915/14]

Information and Communications Technology

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

152. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the significantly increased emphasis on active learning, collection of student work in portfolios, and use of ICT to support aspects of school-based assessment in the new Junior Framework, his proposals to upgrade the ICT infrastructure in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9150/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Mick Wallace

153. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to written correspondence of 24 January 2014 if he has received any advice on whether the use of isolation rooms is a breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Ireland is expected to ratify in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9161/14]

Education Schemes

Mattie McGrath

154. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 11 February 2014, if he will further elaborate on the way the denial of funding to some book rental schemes can be considered fair or reasonable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9097/14]

Third Level Fees

Richard Boyd Barrett

155. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has examined the likely impact on the imposition of fees for apprentices in view of the Government's stated aim of prioritising training and education in order to reduce unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9149/14]

Data Protection

Niall Collins

156. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Taoiseach if he has established an information officer; if this person is in charge of developing and implementing data protection in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8970/14]

Electoral Divisions Report

Terence Flanagan

157. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Taoiseach the proportion of adults aged over 60 years in the 2011 census in a selection of district electoral divisions (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8972/14]

Electoral Divisions Report

Terence Flanagan

158. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Taoiseach the proportion of adults aged over 60 years in the 2011 census in a selection of district electoral divisions (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8973/14]

Electoral Divisions Report

Terence Flanagan

159. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Taoiseach the proportion of adults aged over 60 years in the 2011 census in a selection of district electoral divisions (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8974/14]

Electoral Divisions Report

Terence Flanagan

160. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Taoiseach the proportion of adults aged over 60 years in the 2011 census in a selection of district electoral divisions (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8975/14]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Lyons

161. Deputy John Lyons asked the Taoiseach the chief executive officers of semi-State companies under the aegis of his Department that are on Hay contracts and those who are not on Hay contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10130/14]

Ministerial Travel

Terence Flanagan

162. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the estimated cost of the forthcoming ministerial trips abroad for St. Patrick's Day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9093/14]

Ministerial Travel

Terence Flanagan

163. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a breakdown of the duration of each ministerial trip abroad to mark St. Patrick's Day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9094/14]

Ministerial Travel

Terence Flanagan

164. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the importance of a Minister going to Northern Ireland on St Patrick's Day; the Minister who will be in Northern Ireland for St. Patrick's Day 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9095/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Thomas P. Broughan

165. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on his engagements with counterparts at European Union level in relation to the ongoing political crisis in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9901/14]

Human Rights Issues

Brendan Griffin

166. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on reports of the deaths of 450 migrant workers from India in Qatar in 2012 and 2013; his further views regarding Qatar's hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup; the bilateral contacts Ireland has with Qatar; if he will express concern and protest about the deaths of these persons to Qatar, FIFA and the UN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9079/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Finian McGrath

167. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the Argentine Republic on its legitimate rights on the sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas. [9502/14]

Human Rights Issues

Brendan Smith

168. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the UN Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea; if he will raise these very serious findings at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9661/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Brendan Smith

169. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the outcome of discussions at the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council in relation to the serious unrest in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9662/14]

Human Rights Issues

Seán Kyne

170. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in the context of the increasingly vitriolic comments emanating from Government leaders of other states regarding human rights, including those of persons who are LGBT, and the passing of legislation which contravenes the most basic of human rights standards that the UN and most of its member states expect, he will confirm the safeguards that are in place to ensure that no Irish public money, via Irish Aid, benefits those with such a blatant disregard for human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9699/14]

Financial Services Regulation

Bernard Durkan

171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which legislation is likely to be introduced which might have a bearing on the mis-selling of financial products by financial institutions with particular reference to the need to protect the consumer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9068/14]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Pearse Doherty

172. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 364 of 11 February 2014, the reason the €240 million designated as external source of finance is in fact an equity investment by him, it is not listed under Exchequer or own resources funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9104/14]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover

Gerry Adams

173. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance his plans to develop a State-funded financial aid package for householders unable to get insurance cover for flood damage, because of where they live. [9172/14]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover

Nicky McFadden

174. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the evidence recently given by the British Insurance Brokers' Association to the British Government's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (details supplied); if he will investigate the four options suggested by BIBA in relation to future policy on flood provision and examine the way options might be adopted here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9173/14]

Tax Collection

Pearse Doherty

175. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of companies that are registered here which provide remote gambling services. [9459/14]

Tax Collection

Pearse Doherty

176. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of companies that are registered here which provide betting intermediary services. [9460/14]

Tax Credits

Michael McGrath

177. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the conditions a person must meet in order to qualify for a PAYE tax credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8882/14]

Tax Clearance Certificates

Jack Wall

178. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be issued with a P21 for 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8899/14]

European Investment Bank

Michael McGrath

179. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the current status of the review by the European Investment Bank of its lending criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8900/14]

European Investment Bank

Michael McGrath

180. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if the European Investment Bank is permitted to lend directly to local authorities for project initiatives that meet its lending criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8901/14]

NAMA Portfolio

Michael McGrath

181. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the value the National Asset Management Agency currently ascribes to art works it currently has in its portfolio of assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8902/14]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Jerry Buttimer

182. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Finance if CORU registration fees for social workers qualify in full as a tax deductible expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8904/14]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover

Michael McGrath

183. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on the refusal of insurance companies to provide insurance for flood cover and subsidence for many residents around the country; his plans to introduce any legislation or to encourage any industry initiatives in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8978/14]

NAMA Expenditure

Michael McGrath

184. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the rates liquidators are permitted to charge the National Asset Management Agency following the tender process for insolvency services that NAMA undertook; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8986/14]