Parliamentary questions

Programme for Government Implementation

Brendan Howlin

1. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the status of the implementation of measures in the programme for Government. [48128/17]

Programme for Government Implementation

Gerry Adams

2. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach when the next progress report of A Programme for a Partnership Government will be published. [47837/17]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joan Burton

3. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the progress in regards to the implementation of the programme for Government. [48980/17]

Programme for Government Implementation

Richard Boyd Barrett

4. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach the progress report on A Programme for a Partnership Government. [49113/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

5. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings in the west coast of the USA; the companies he visited; and the issues that were discussed. [47081/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

6. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if Ireland's corporation tax rate or the possible reduction in USA corporation tax rate and the proposal that the European Union will introduce digital taxation were discussed at his meetings in the USA. [47082/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joan Burton

7. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his trip to the west coast of the United States of America. [47610/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joan Burton

8. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting the chief executive officer of a company (details supplied). [47611/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Eamon Ryan

9. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings in Silicon Valley. [47612/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

10. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his visit to the United States of America; and his meetings with personnel from companies. [47836/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Gerry Adams

11. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the United States of America; and the details of the meetings and engagements he attended. [47838/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Paul Murphy

12. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the United States of America and in particular his meetings with representatives of a company (details supplied). [47860/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Paul Murphy

13. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his invitation to President Donald Trump to visit here. [47861/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

14. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his invitation to President Donald Trump to visit here. [49114/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Richard Boyd Barrett

15. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if Ireland's corporation tax rate or the possible reduction in the USA corporation tax rate and the proposal that the European Union will introduce digital taxation were discussed at his meetings in the United States of America. [49115/17]

Post Office Network

Timmy Dooley

37. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications; Climate Action and Environment the implementation status of the Kerr report and the date by which the strategic plan for the network will be published. [49411/17]

Waste Disposal Charges

Brian Stanley

38. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of progress towards proposed changes to household waste collection charges; and if he has considered an alternative system of tendering the collection of household waste. [49249/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Timmy Dooley

39. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the implementation status of the national broadband plan; and the date by which the contract for the State intervention area will be awarded. [49412/17]

Post Office Network

Brian Stanley

40. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications; Climate Action and Environment the policy in terms of progress towards changes in services available through the post office network or broadening services to maintain a viable network of post offices. [49250/17]

Mobile Telephony Services

Seán Sherlock

41. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the steps that have been taken to improve mobile telephone coverage in rural parts of the country in the past six months; the number of times the mobile phone task force has met in the past six months; the mobile telephone operators the task force has met; and the number of officials and their Departments dedicated to work on the task force. [49410/17]

RTÉ Revenue

Shane Cassells

42. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to reform the funding model for public service broadcasting in view of the fact that there is an evasion rate of 14.5% of the television licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49087/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Aindrias Moynihan

43. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date on which finalisation of the national broadband plan will be complete in view of the fact that the expenditure allocations 2018 to 2020 document allows €15 million for finalisation of the procurement process for the State-led intervention for the plan; the timeframe for the complete implementation of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49085/17]

Broadband Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

44. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he expects to be in a position to provide broadband services to those areas outside the proposed or existing provisions, in some cases only by a matter of metres; if he will consider a separate contract for such customers to run concurrent with the current programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49078/17]

Electric Vehicles

Timmy Dooley

45. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures his department will take to address the lack of availability and poor management of Ireland's electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49105/17]

Energy Infrastructure

Catherine Martin

46. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his officials have had meetings or discussions with executives from a company (details supplied) regarding the proposed data centre in Athenry, specifically as regards the provision of a 100% renewable energy supply for the facility. [49096/17]

Waste Disposal Charges

Timmy Dooley

47. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address the fact that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has refused to play a role in the Government's monitoring of waste collection charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49108/17]

Electricity Transmission Network

Brendan Smith

48. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the proposal by EirGrid to construct the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49037/17]

Climate Change Policy

Paul Murphy

49. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has considered the Citizens' Assembly's recommendations on climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49088/17]

Climate Change Policy

Clare Daly

50. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the implications for the State's emissions targets and broader obligations in regard to addressing climate change of potential expansion of energy intensive industry here, particularly if same is incentivised by the Government, as in, for example, plans to expand the number of data centres located here. [49014/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Bobby Aylward

51. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeframe for the national broadband plan and the measures contained to ensure equality in the roll-out of broadband services for rural areas, rural communities and regional towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48678/17]

National Broadband Plan

Charlie McConalogue

52. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when his Department first announced plans to introduce the national broadband plan; the dates on which various Ministers held press conferences to publicise it; the expected commencement and completion dates provided by Ministers at each of these press conferences; the projected commencement date and completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48976/17]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Pat the Cope Gallagher

53. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding his efforts to improve mobile telephone signals; the progress made to date in terms of the recommendations of the mobile telephone and broadband task force with particular reference to County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48950/17]

Electric Vehicles

Brian Stanley

54. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans in regard to the future charging network following a recent decision by the regulator in terms of the future financing of the public charging points for electric vehicles. [49010/17]

RTÉ Staff

Catherine Martin

55. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his Department has had discussions with the RTÉ authority or other Government Departments regarding the future of the symphony and concert orchestras currently managed by RTÉ. [49097/17]

Renewable Energy Generation

John Curran

56. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the actions he is taking to facilitate the development of solar energy in a well managed and sustainable manner; the timeframe for the introduction of a new renewable electricity support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48705/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Paul Murphy

57. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to make changes to the national mitigation plan to introduce binding targets in view of research presented by a centre (details supplied) at COP23 which shows that greenhouse gas emissions will rise in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49091/17]

Renewable Energy Generation

Timmy Dooley

58. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action he will take to increase Ireland's renewable energy stock; the date by which a renewable energy support scheme will be launched here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49106/17]

Wind Energy Generation

Eamon Ryan

59. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the scale of offshore wind energy he expects could be developed in the Irish Sea by 2030; and the role his Department has in co-ordinating such developments. [49093/17]

Fisheries Protection

Peter Burke

60. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if funding has been allocated in budget 2018 for an eel fisheries hardship scheme; and if so, if a proposed scheme has been devised. [49047/17]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Martin Heydon

61. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the work of the implementation group on the mobile telephone and broadband task force; the progress which has been made in implementing the actions recommended by the task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49049/17]

Broadband Service Provision

Charlie McConalogue

62. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the Government's commitment to provide high speed broadband to every house and business in County Donegal; the deadline for same; the number of homes and businesses which have access to high speed broadband; the number of additional homes and businesses which will receive access to high speed broadband in 2017; the number which will receive access in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48977/17]

National Mitigation Plan Implementation

Catherine Connolly

63. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps being taken to effect the removal of subsidies on peat extraction in view of the State's emissions reduction targets and the recent vote of the Citizen's Assembly whereby 97% of assembly members voted in favour of the removal of Government subsidies on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49052/17]

Renewable Energy Generation

Thomas P. Broughan

64. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the renewable electricity support scheme in respect of wind generation and micro-scale generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48979/17]

National Mitigation Plan Implementation

Paul Murphy

65. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to incorporate the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly into the national mitigation plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49089/17]

Bord na Móna

Eamon Ryan

66. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department must approve the proposed purchase of a wood pellet plant in the US state of Georgia by Bord na Móna (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49092/17]

National Mitigation Plan

Bríd Smith

67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a discussion in Dáil Éireann on the national mitigation plan will be arranged; and the way in which this plan will help the State meet its commitments under the Paris treaty. [49011/17]

Climate Change Policy

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the scientific consensus on the need to leave 80% of proven reserves of fossil fuel in the ground; the way in which the continued issuing of licences by his Department can help achieve this climate change goal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49012/17]

Renewable Heat Incentive

Brian Stanley

69. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there will be the creation of a renewable heat incentive under proposals in budget 2018; the long-term role of this incentive; when it will be established; and if it will be directed toward commercial, community projects or domestic use. [49009/17]

Exploration Licences Applications

Richard Boyd Barrett

70. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on all applications for exploration licences that have been received by his Department; the indications he has of upcoming applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49101/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Connolly

71. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the cost-benefit analysis that has been conducted with regard to the cost to the State of not meeting its emissions reduction targets as against the cost of achieving same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49053/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Martin Heydon

72. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of the national broadband plan to properties in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49039/17]

Energy Prices

Brian Stanley

73. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has the power to issue a policy direction to the regulator under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999; and if he has considered the use of this power to address rising electricity prices here. [49008/17]

Fisheries Protection

Peter Burke

74. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when funding can be drawn down for an eel fisheries hardship fund; the way in which funds will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49048/17]

Waste Management Regulations

James Lawless

75. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if under the current waste management framework or otherwise consideration has been given to mandating that the waste management companies add a collection for glass bottle waste to their operations, similar to the way in which compostable waste, recyclable waste and general waste are currently separated and collected from the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49016/17]

Waste Disposal Charges

Richard Boyd Barrett

76. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the arrangements agreed with the waste management companies on the introduction of the pay-by-weight schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49102/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Brian Stanley

77. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the precise reduction or derogation that his Department is seeking on the 2020 targets. [49006/17]

Renewable Energy Generation

James Lawless

78. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a support scheme for residential and-or community solar photovoltaic electricity will be introduced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49015/17]

Post Office Network

Brendan Smith

79. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he plans to implement to support the post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49038/17]

Energy Efficiency

Timmy Dooley

80. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason his Department continues to primarily fund shallow retrofits for homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49104/17]

National Mitigation Plan Implementation

Thomas P. Broughan

81. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which his Department will progress the recommendations from the Citizens' Assembly on the subject of climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48978/17]

Offshore Exploration

Mick Wallace

82. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 8 November 2017, if the environmental impact assessment carried out prior to his approval in July 2017 for offshore drilling at the Druid Drombeg exploration field addressed the potential impact that the combustion of the fossil fuels stored at the site could have on the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49082/17]

Energy Efficiency

Aindrias Moynihan

83. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which the funding of the energy efficiency programmes was spent between residential, commercial and public sector buildings since 2011 in view of the fact that the expenditure allocations for 2018 to 2020 document allows €35 million to expand the energy efficiency programmes; his plans to change the breakdown in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49086/17]

National Mitigation Plan Implementation

Bernard Durkan

84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the degree to which he expects existing provisions and future proposals to narrow the gap between what is required and what is already proposed in regard to the report from the Citizens' Assembly; if he is in a position to quantify the precise extent of the requirements that need to be met over the specified period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49079/17]

Inland Fisheries

James Browne

85. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for the 2018 fishing season on the River Slaney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48679/17]

Bord na Móna

Brian Stanley

86. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he received reports on the developments of the horticultural sector of Bord na Móna. [49007/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Byrne

87. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether rural communities and rural houses are being pitted against each other as a result of the way in which sites were selected for broadband upgrade; and his further views on the cherry picking nature of a company (details supplied) in selecting the best sites. [49081/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Paul Murphy

88. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the recent study by an organisation (details supplied) on the use of gas and other fossil fuels in the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49090/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Clare Daly

89. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the publication of a warning letter by a group (details supplied) highlighting the lack of adequate steps being taken by governments to safeguard the biosphere and prevent catastrophic climate change; his plans to review the national mitigation plan in order to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49013/17]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Maureen O'Sullivan

90. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which Ireland will address poor performance in comparison with other EU states on reaching climate change targets; and the way in which he plans to address this going forward. [49084/17]

Seanad Reform

Micheál Martin

91. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department's statement of strategy on implementing in full the Manning report on Seanad Éireann; and the status of same. [48744/17]

Strategic Communications Unit

Micheál Martin

92. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the detail the director and staff in the strategic communications unit sought and were provided with when they consulted with their counterparts in the UK and the Netherlands regarding strategic communications; the format the consultation took; and if meetings took place. [48745/17]

Strategic Communications Unit

Micheál Martin

93. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the six procurement contracts issued in respect of the strategic communications unit; and the status of same. [48746/17]

Strategic Communications Unit

Micheál Martin

94. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet committee under which the remit of the strategic communication unit falls. [48747/17]

Commissions of Investigation

Micheál Martin

95. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the status of an inquiry (details supplied). [48750/17]

Departmental Staff Training

Catherine Murphy

96. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach the cost of providing external coaching and-or training services for staff development in his Department over the past five years and to date in 2017, by cost per year, in tabular form; and the company that delivered the training courses. [48813/17]

Departmental Contracts

Catherine Murphy

97. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach the names of the companies renting a fixing and-or space on telecoms and-or communications masts from his Department; the income received for each of the past five years for same, in tabular form. [48847/17]

Appointments to State Boards

Mary Lou McDonald

98. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the gender balance on each of the State boards under his remit, in tabular form. [48887/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

99. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Chancellor Merkel since the election in Germany in September 2017. [48888/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

100. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Prime Minister Rajoy since the October 2017 EU Council meeting. [48890/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Micheál Martin

101. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his visit to Enniskillen on 12 November 2017; if he attended meetings while he was there; and the issues that were discussed. [48891/17]

RTÉ Revenue

Seán Fleming

102. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach if the Central Statistics Office included the debts of RTÉ on the State balance sheet in view of the fact that the majority of income in RTÉ is received from the Government following collection of TV licence fees and that this has been the case for a number of years. [49020/17]

Central Statistics Office

Seán Fleming

103. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach if the Central Statistics Office examined the accounts of each of the commercial semi-State organisations and other semi-State bodies that are in receipt of significant public funding as to whether the majority of their funding comes from public sources; and whether their debts should be included on the State balance sheet. [49029/17]

Departmental Communications

Jonathan O'Brien

104. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Taoiseach the domain names registered to or owned by his Department or through a third party company. [49061/17]

Parliamentary Questions Costs

Mattie McGrath

105. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach the average costs associated with processing and answering written and oral parliamentary questions. [49131/17]

Exports Data

Maurice Quinlivan

106. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Taoiseach the number of businesses exporting to Britain; the number of persons employed by these businesses; and the value of this trade in 2015, in tabular form. [48517/17]

State Aid

Peadar Tóibín

107. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the number of organisations in the State in receipt of State funding that have expended resources seeking the repeal of the eighth amendment; the amount of funding these organisations have received from the State in the past five years; the number of organisations in the State in receipt of State funding that have expended resources seeking the retention of the eighth amendment; and the amount of funding these organisations have received from the State in the past five years. [49298/17]

Ministerial Responsibilities

James Lawless

108. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation further to the former Taoiseach's statement in September 2016, the detail of the 11 areas of responsibility of the Minister of State, Deputy John Halligan; if responsibilities have been added or removed in the interim; and if she is satisfied with the way in which duties under each of the 11 areas have been carried out. [48751/17]

International Agreements

Peadar Tóibín

109. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to ratify the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances in the future; if there is a timeframe for doing so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49032/17]

Retail Sector

Catherine Murphy

110. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 556 of 22 November 2016, if she has had updates from or engagement with the groups the former Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation addressed at the retail consultation regarding a differential in euro and sterling in the context of retail sales here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48730/17]

Brexit Issues

Stephen Donnelly

111. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the preparations made in her Department in the event of no agreement being reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the terms of the UK's exit from the EU; and if such preparations involve the drawing up of detailed and specific contingency plans in the event of a hard Brexit and a trade regime based on WTO tariffs. [48770/17]

Departmental Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

112. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the cost of providing external coaching and-or training services for staff development in her Department over the past five years and to date in 2017, by cost per year, in tabular form; the company that delivered the training courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48799/17]

Departmental Functions

Niall Collins

113. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the social partners or employment policy experts were consulted before the decision was made to transfer labour affairs functions in her Department to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection; if her officials carried out an impact assessment of the transfer of functions; and if so, if she will publish same. [48822/17]

Brexit Issues

Micheál Martin

114. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the preparations her Department is making in the event of there being a hard Brexit, in particular following Michel Barnier's comments on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48895/17]

Weather Events Response

Bríd Smith

115. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on whether the health and safety Acts need to be amended after Storm Ophelia in order that accidents commuting to and from work during severe weather conditions can be negated. [48909/17]

Job Creation

Niamh Smyth

116. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of a project (details supplied); the number of jobs that will be created as a result; the services that will be provided by this facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48931/17]

IDA Ireland

Jackie Cahill

117. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will engage with the IDA with regard to a site (details supplied) as a location for the construction of a major data centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48958/17]

Work Permits Applications

Peter Burke

118. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on a work permit delay (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49034/17]

Departmental Communications

Jonathan O'Brien

119. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the domain names registered to or owned by her Department or through a third party company. [49063/17]

Parliamentary Questions Costs

Mattie McGrath

120. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the average costs associated with processing and answering written and oral parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49117/17]

Employment Data

Dara Calleary

121. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the estimated value of the augmented reality and virtual reality industries here; the estimated levels of employment involved in these sectors; the number of companies based in this country operating in these sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49208/17]