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]