Parliamentary questions

Brexit Issues

Micheál Martin

1. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if his Department's officials are involved in meetings to discuss sectoral plans or responses to Brexit. [6904/18]

Brexit Issues

Mary Lou McDonald

2. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if his Department has engaged in meetings regarding sectoral plans in response to Brexit. [8337/18]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Howlin

3. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of officials in his Department in preparing for Brexit; and the number and roles of those officials dedicated solely to Brexit planning. [8575/18]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Micheál Martin

4. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the number of Cabinet Committee meetings he attended in January 2018. [6906/18]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Mary Lou McDonald

5. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the number of Cabinet Committee meetings he has attended in 2018. [8336/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Brendan Howlin

6. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the activities of the strategic communications unit and the number of staff now in place. [7231/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Micheál Martin

7. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the number of staff in the Government Information Service. [7444/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Micheál Martin

8. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the partnership arrangements the strategic communications unit in his Department has with a newspaper (details supplied). [8469/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Mary Lou McDonald

9. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the strategic communications unit; the number of staff now employed by the unit; and the responsibilities and positions of each. [8490/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Mary Lou McDonald

10. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the number of staff in his Department attached to the Government Information Service. [8492/18]

Strategic Communications Unit

Brendan Howlin

11. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the outcome of the tender for market research by his Department; and when the research that was commissioned will be published. [8574/18]

RAPID Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

27. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his policy on the development of the RAPID programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8821/18]

LEADER Programmes Expenditure

Carol Nolan

28. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the value of payments to third party Leader project promoters since the launch of the implementation phase of the 2014 to 2020 programme to the end of December 2017; and the way in which this compares to payments made during the first 18 months of the 2007 to 2013 programme in terms of actual moneys paid out and as a percentage of the overall fund. [8820/18]

CLÁR Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

29. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the developments he is proposing for the CLÁR programme in 2018; and when new elements of this programme will be rolled out in 2018. [8822/18]

Dog Breeding Industry

Paul Murphy

30. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will review legislation relating to dog breeding establishments in view of recent cases of welfare issues in some large establishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7154/18]

Rural Development Policy

Thomas Pringle

31. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures being undertaken by his Department to address persistent depopulation in rural towns across County Donegal and the rest of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8823/18]

Seniors Alert Scheme

Peter Fitzpatrick

32. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to set out the financial allocations in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018 for the seniors alert scheme; the take-up in respect of the scheme since 2016; the changes made to the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8504/18]

Project Ireland 2040

Seán Canney

33. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the concept of the Atlantic economic corridor and its development is provided for in the Project Ireland 2040 plan which encompasses the national planning framework and the national development plan. [8501/18]

Action Plan for Rural Development

James Browne

34. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department has examined ways to address rural isolation and loneliness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8511/18]

Local Improvement Scheme Funding

Pat Deering

35. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to announce a new local improvement scheme in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8514/18]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

36. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the requests for submissions that have been sought from bodies in 2018 under the local improvement, village and town renewal, national rural development and CLÁR schemes; the projects approved to date under these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8715/18]

Action Plan for Rural Development

Éamon Ó Cuív

37. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the new measures he plans to roll out under the Action Plan for Rural Development in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8718/18]

Seniors Alert Scheme

Martin Heydon

38. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the details of the new version of the seniors alert scheme; the way in which it can be accessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8739/18]

Departmental Expenditure

Éamon Ó Cuív

39. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps he has taken to ensure a full spend of capital funds provided to his Department in the 2018 Estimates and from the carryover of €7.7 million from 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8716/18]

Voluntary Sector

Tony McLoughlin

40. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the progress of preparing a national strategy for volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8517/18]

Project Ireland 2040

Tony McLoughlin

41. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of the Atlantic economic corridor, AEC; his views on the relationship between the AEC and the Project Ireland 2040 plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8518/18]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Catherine Connolly

42. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the statutory review as required by the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2012 of the disbursements scheme in relation to the dormant accounts funds due in December 2016; his plans to carry out such a review; if the review has commenced; if not, the reason therefor; if the review has been completed; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8725/18]

LEADER Programmes Data

Éamon Ó Cuív

43. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the approvals to date by the local action groups of funding for projects under the Leader programme, by local action group; the amount of expenditure to date on projects by local action group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8717/18]

Regional Development Initiatives

Joe Carey

44. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the type of support he is providing to develop the Atlantic economic corridor; if he will report on the engagement with stakeholders regarding this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8503/18]

Voluntary Sector

Carol Nolan

45. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to increase funding for volunteer centres and to upgrade hosted volunteer information services to autonomous volunteer centres. [8720/18]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Pat Deering

46. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of underspent funds that were allocated to the town and village scheme; and if there will be a similar type of scheme in 2018. [8513/18]

CLÁR Programme

Peter Burke

47. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the CLÁR programme will reopen; the budget of the programme for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8516/18]

Broadband Service Provision

Paul Murphy

48. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on plans to extend high-speed broadband to all rural areas in the south Dublin County Council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8742/18]

Local Authority Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

49. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of the €28 million prepaid to local authorities at the end of 2016 that has not been spent to date by the local authorities on the projects for which it was approved, by local authority and type of project; the steps he has taken to ensure the moneys are either spent or repaid to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8714/18]

Community Banking

Willie Penrose

50. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the report on public banking based on the Sparkassen model will be considered; when it will be published; the roadmap for implementation of this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8506/18]

Dog Breeding Industry

Clare Daly

51. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department will liaise with local authorities and An Garda Síochána to ensure that the living conditions of dogs and pups on puppy farms is within the regulations and to enforce sanction or close down farms that are operating outside of the terms of their licence. [8723/18]

Service Level Agreements

Peter Burke

52. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the service level agreement his Department has with Pobal; the payment policy his Department employs with Pobal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8515/18]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Catherine Connolly

53. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the work carried out to date to establish the reason for the level of underspending by implementing Departments in relation to community programmes of the Dormant Accounts Fund; if such work has been undertaken; if not, the reason therefor; when he plans to undertake such work; the measures that have been taken or are planned to address the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8726/18]

Local Improvement Scheme Funding

Niamh Smyth

54. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of local improvement scheme allocations to local authorities throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8740/18]

Local Improvement Scheme Administration

Joe Carey

55. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the LIS scheme 2018; the allocations to date, by county; his further plans for the scheme into the future in view of demand; if the provision of funding towards maintenance of LIS roads will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8505/18]

LEADER Programmes Funding

Brendan Smith

56. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated to Leader programmes in counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2017; the level of funding to be provided for these programmes in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8703/18]

Dormant Accounts Fund Grants

Seán Canney

57. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the preparation of the dormant accounts action plan for 2018; if the process has commenced on seeking applications for consideration for disbursement; and if his Department is reviewing the operation of the Dormant Accounts Fund to ensure the efficient and effective allocation of funding in line with the aims of the legislation. [8500/18]

Dog Breeding Industry

Paul Murphy

58. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his views on the resources for inspections of dog breeding establishments; his further views on whether legislative change is required in relation to inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7155/18]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Martin Heydon

59. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the 2018 town and village renewal scheme; when it will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8738/18]

Rural Recreation Scheme

Bernard Durkan

60. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the rural recreation scheme 2018; the allocations and projects funded since 2016 under this or a similar heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8736/18]

Departmental Contracts Data

Mick Wallace

61. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of contracts Pobal holds with Departments; the fees Pobal has received for these contracts for the most recently published year; if the contracts Pobal holds with Departments were awarded via a tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8732/18]

Departmental Contracts Data

Mick Wallace

62. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the contract his Department has in place with Pobal; the services Pobal provides on behalf of his Department; if the contract with Pobal was awarded following a tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8731/18]

Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation

Willie Penrose

63. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a status and implementation report on the Action Plan for Rural Development will be provided; the main progress made in 2017; the expected progress in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8510/18]

Regional Development Policy

Carol Nolan

64. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to commission data research and a deprivation analysis of the midlands counties in order to ascertain the validity of designating special status to a defined region and establishing a development commission. [8721/18]

LEADER Programmes Funding

Niamh Smyth

65. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the LEADER funding that has been drawn down to date by groups in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8741/18]

Local Improvement Scheme Funding

Bernard Durkan

66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he has budgeted for the LIS scheme in 2018; the demand for the scheme and financial allocations to date, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8735/18]

Dog Breeding Industry

Clare Daly

67. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when his Department will publish the final report on the review of dog breeding establishment guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8724/18]

LEADER Programmes Funding

Brendan Smith

68. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding allocated for the Leader programme in 2017; the expenditure at the end of 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8704/18]

Rural Broadband Scheme

Willie Penrose

69. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role of his Department in the roll-out of rural broadband; the responsibilities he has in this area; the action he has planned; the progress made to date by the implementation group on the mobile phone and broadband taskforce report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8507/18]

Community Services Programme

Willie Penrose

70. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of new programmes he plans to fund with the community services programme in 2018; if current service providers will continue to be funded; the timeframe for the next submission of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8509/18]

LEADER Programmes Administration

Michael Moynihan

71. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the implementation of the programme for Government commitment on the Leader programme. [8711/18]

Brexit Issues

Micheál Martin

72. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the Copenhagen economic report; the role his Department officials will have in responding to same; and the plans they are working on and co-ordinating across Departments. [8467/18]

Passport Data

Aindrias Moynihan

73. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications being processed; the number of renewals and first-time passports respectively; the average processing time for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8840/18]

Passport Data

Aindrias Moynihan

74. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of credit card type passports issued in the past year; the average time for processing an application for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8841/18]

Passport Applications Fees

Tony McLoughlin

75. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if persons over 70 years of age will be allowed to acquire a three year passport at a reduced cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8935/18]

Human Rights

Seán Crowe

76. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the business and human rights implementation group as required under the national plan on business and human rights 2017 to 2020 has been established; the composition of the group; and when it will commence its work. [8961/18]

Human Rights

Seán Crowe

77. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has commissioned a baseline assessment of the legislative and regulatory framework pertaining to business and human rights here as committed to under the national plan on business and human rights 2017 to 2020; and when it will be completed. [8962/18]

Tax Code

James Lawless

78. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Finance if his Department will consider documenting travel expenses paid to a separate section of a P60 on request to be used for persons applying for local authority housing loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8901/18]

VAT Registration

Tony McLoughlin

79. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Finance the status of a company tax registration (TR2) application by a company (details supplied); when the VAT number will be issued to the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8839/18]

Tax Compliance

Tony McLoughlin

80. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Finance if a person's (details supplied) H1N1 form that was sent to the Revenue Commissioners in County Sligo for their housing application will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8843/18]

VAT Rate Application

Pearse Doherty

81. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if it is possible to exempt or reduce the VAT rate applicable to the provision of locum general practitioner services by organisations such as Shannondoc; the estimated cost of exempting or reducing the VAT rate to 13.5%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8850/18]

Tax Credits

Seán Fleming

82. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the amount of the total provided by way of a reduction in corporation tax payable in respect of research and development tax credit; the amount provided by way of refundable credit in each of the years 2013 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8921/18]

VAT Rebates

Peter Fitzpatrick

83. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Finance if a matter (details supplied) will be addressed regarding claiming back VAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8931/18]

Tax Credits

Seán Fleming

84. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the amount of research and development tax credits availed of in bands (details supplied) in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8934/18]

Financial Services Regulation

Michael McGrath

85. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the average wait time for a credit servicing firm to become regulated by the Central Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8955/18]

Fitness and Probity Regime

Pearse Doherty

86. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons disqualified, removed from a position within a bank or prevented from taking up a position under the Central Bank's fitness and probity regime in each category in each of the years from 2008 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8975/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

87. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the details of all known loan portfolio sales by regulated banks here, including the State supported banks since 2016; the project name given to the sale, in tabular form; the number and nature of the loans sold; the name of the purchaser; and the purchase price, if available. [8988/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

88. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if unregulated loan owners are permitted by the Central Bank to have direct contact with the borrower in relation to their loan, for example, to discuss a possible restructuring of the loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8989/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

89. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the reason unregulated loan owners such as private equity funds should not be brought fully within the ambit of the Central Bank regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8990/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

90. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the legal basis for applying the code of conduct on mortgage arrears and the consumer protection code to an unregulated loan owner. [8991/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

91. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if a repossession action will be taken in the name of the unregulated loan owner or the appointed credit servicing firm in relation to a PDH mortgage acquired by an unregulated loan owner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8992/18]

Loan Books Purchasers

Michael McGrath

92. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if in a situation in which an unregulated loan owner appoints a credit servicing firm in respect of a mortgage portfolio, it is the unregulated loan owner or the credit servicing firm that makes the final decision as to whether a restructuring agreement is entered into; if enforcement action is taken; if there is a change in the interest rate of a variable rate product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8993/18]

Civil Service Renewal Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

93. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No.147 of 31 January 2018, the number of public servants based in each zone by specific Department, agency or body listed in a document (details supplied) by location, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8837/18]

National Monuments

Jonathan O'Brien

94. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the execution site of four persons in December 1922 in Roscrea Castle is at present being used for storage by the OPW and that the relatives and various local organisations are requesting that the site be opened on a permanent basis and prepared for the 100 year anniversary; his plans to allow the site to be used in events leading up to and during the anniversary in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8855/18]

Public Sector Staff Retirements

Niamh Smyth

95. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the directive on the compulsory retirement age of 65 years of age for public servants is coming into force; the timeframe for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8890/18]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Paul Kehoe

96. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available for a person (details supplied) to get onto the SNA panel to be considered for a permanent position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8832/18]

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Catherine Connolly

97. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the moneys allocated by the Irish Research Council in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018 under the enterprise partnership and employment led schemes; the amount recouped from employers in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8856/18]

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Catherine Connolly

98. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent by the Irish Research Council on public relations firms, publicity, sponsorship, promotional or advertising material in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018; the proportion this represents of its overall budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8857/18]

School Admissions

Joan Burton

99. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons in Dublin 15 are finding it difficult to find a school place in their local Educate Together national school, which has a waiting list, and are also having difficulties securing a place in the local national school under Catholic patronage in view of the fact their children are not baptised; his plans to do to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8861/18]

School Transport Eligibility

Fiona O'Loughlin

100. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve the criteria for school transport eligibility commencing for the 2018-2019 school year in view of the difficulties that persons have faced in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8897/18]

Schools Property

Kathleen Funchion

101. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will seek a long-term lease for 100 years on the building leased for a school (details supplied); if the purchase of the property is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8903/18]

School Accommodation

Kathleen Funchion

102. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided to engage a design team to design, procure and construct the new accommodation required by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8904/18]

Emergency Works Scheme Funding

Kathleen Funchion

103. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills when funding will be made available to a school (details supplied) to resolve problems with the existing school, heating, toilets, windows, school yard and the external appearance of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8905/18]

Schools Building Projects Status

Aindrias Moynihan

104. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of building works at a school (details supplied); when the works will go to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8941/18]

Schools Building Projects Status

Aindrias Moynihan

105. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of building works at a school (details supplied); when the works will go to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8942/18]

Schools Building Projects Status

Aindrias Moynihan

106. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of building works at a school (details supplied); when the works will go to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8943/18]

Education Policy

Michael Harty

107. Deputy Michael Harty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he has instructed his Department's officials to advise some educate together schools to reduce intake to half a stream in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8950/18]

Work Permits Data

Mick Barry

108. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of permits issued in 2017 under the atypical scheme for non-EU migrant fishers; the numbers issued directly to the fishers; and the numbers issued to employers or boat owners. [8936/18]

Probate Applications

Jack Chambers

109. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the average waiting times for probate cases to be processed and concluded; if his attention has been drawn to the distress caused due to the lengthy delays for families involved in such cases; the efforts underway to address these delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8834/18]

Garda Communications

Clare Daly

110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the expenditure on the design, development and launch of the new An Garda Síochána's website garda.ie; if the project was managed internally or externally; and if managed externally, the external contractor or contractors involved in the project. [8838/18]

Legal Aid Service Data

Imelda Munster

111. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the waiting times for an appointment for free legal aid, by county. [8852/18]

Legal Aid Service Data

Imelda Munster

112. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of free legal aid solicitors operating, by county. [8853/18]

Courts Service Data

Imelda Munster

113. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of court dates rescheduled in each of the years the years 2015 to 2017 due to not having representation from free legal aid. [8854/18]

Visa Applications

Robert Troy

114. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) who has previously applied for entry here will be granted a visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8862/18]

General Data Protection Regulation Implementation

Catherine Murphy

115. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the preparedness of An Garda Síochána in the context of the incoming General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679; if civilian staff and Garda officers have undertaken or been offered specific training and-or briefing on GDPR; the number of data protection officers, DPOs, who will be appointed within An Garda Síochána; if there will be a monetary allowance attached to the newly assigned role of DPO; if An Garda Síochána has undertaken a survey and-or review of all of its databases; if risks were identified; if so, the nature of the risks identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8873/18]