Parliamentary questions

Electrical Contractors

Andrew Doyle

782. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the legislative basis that registered electrical contractors must register by 1 October 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37293/13]

Broadcasting Service Provision

Andrew Doyle

784. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the implications for sports broadcasting here as a result of a recent court case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37347/13]

Telecommunications Regulation Issues

Andrew Doyle

787. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the proposal from the European Commission Directorate General for Competition under the direction of Joaquín Almunia to have a single pan-European watchdog to replace the existing 28 national telecoms regulators, as opposed to the single European telecoms market as set out by Neelie Kroes, the European Commissioner for Digital Agenda from the Directorate General of the European Commission for Communications Networks, Content and Technology; the implications this would have for the Irish Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg); the option he believes would be the better option for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37363/13]

Renewable Energy Generation Targets

Andrew Doyle

788. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the implications of the recent decision of the European Commission to approve an extension to the backstop date for the renewable energy feed-in tariff scheme 2006 for an additional two year period up to the end of 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37366/13]

Broadband Service Provision

Andrew Doyle

790. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a progress report on the roll-out of broadband and high speed broadband in various areas (details supplied) of County Wicklow at affordable rates for residents; if he intends to engage with established, well placed firms already providing innovative ways of securing broadband for particular areas; if he intends to have a price goal for end users as part of the national broadband plan; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that faster connections for home users at affordable broadband rates can reduce lower fuel imports and CO2 emissions with persons working from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37457/13]

Communications Regulation

Andrew Doyle

814. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the role the Commission for Communications Regulation play in the regulation of levies placed on credit top ups for mobile service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38109/13]

Public Broadcasting Charge Introduction

Andrew Doyle

819. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if persons who are presently exempt from payment of a current TV licence will be exempt from the future public service broadcast charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38278/13]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Andrew Doyle

820. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department has taken on board the safety recommendation by the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport following on from an incident in Newcastle, County Wicklow in July 2012 involving a Reims Cessna FRA150M, G-BDOW aircraft; if his Department will be engaging with the Emergency Call Answering Service service provider and the emergency services to consider putting procedures in place which ensure that emergency calls related to air accidents are notified immediately to all of the emergency services; when he expects his Department to revert back to the AAIU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38306/13]

Corrib Gas Field

Andrew Doyle

821. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm that consultants and inspectors hired by his Department have access to gas tunnels as part of their inspections; that certification for access to such tunnels is only provided to gas industry personnel as opposed to inspectors; that only contractors with sufficient access to all areas are required to produce a full report as required by the compliance procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38319/13]

Public Broadcasting Charge Introduction

Andrew Doyle

824. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total number of submissions to date on the Consultation on the Introduction of a Public Service Broadcasting Charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38567/13]

Motor Tax Collection

Andrew Doyle

832. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the price of paying three months car tax versus 12 months car tax can be arranged so that regardless of how long the motor tax is paid for, persons paying for shorter periods are not penalised over the space of one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36907/13]

Animal Welfare

Andrew Doyle

835. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned that since the licence fee for dog licences increased from €12.70 to €20, more than 26,331 dogs disappeared from the system, representing a 12% drop in persons getting the licences; if he believes the hike in fee has stopped people registering their dogs; if discussions have been held to abolish the dog licence fee when compulsory microchipping is introduced to prevent double taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37344/13]

Irish Water Establishment

Andrew Doyle

853. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the arrangements that have been put in place for the establishment of the call centre for Irish Water for the purposes of payment and customer service; the number of jobs that have been created here as a result of this call centre; the number of submissions his Department received for the awarding of the tender contract; if the fee paid for this call cente by his Department or Irish Water is a set fee for the provision of the service or per employee at the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36888/13]

Height Restrictions

Andrew Doyle

868. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on legislation to deal with height restrictions on hedges and trees on both public and private land; if a person is entitled to a view from their property they previously had; the discussions he and his Department have had with other Departments on this matter to find a legal remedy to situations like these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37014/13]

Fire Stations Provision

Andrew Doyle

869. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of requests received over the previous seven years from a local authority (details supplied) in County WIcklow seeking sanction to develop a new fire station or replace an older station; if he sees any capital funding being made available in the near future for fire stations in the local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37023/13]

Animal Welfare

Andrew Doyle

871. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider abolishing the dog licence fee once the dog microchipping initiative is introduced; the discussions his Department have held with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37048/13]

Irish Water Remit

Andrew Doyle

872. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that Irish Water/Uisce Eireann is accountable to his Department for the purposes of answering parliamentary questions on the record of Dáil Éireann; if full answers regarding their work will be published on the record of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37076/13]

Local Authority Funding

Andrew Doyle

873. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding a local authority (details supplied) in County Wicklow will receive under the energy efficiency programme for local authority homes in 2013 in view of the fact that €10 million is being invested; the amount he believes the same local authority will receive in 2014 under a €25 million investment and the amount in 2015 in view of a €15 million investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37078/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Andrew Doyle

874. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 471 of 18 July 2013, if he will outline in tabular form the complete list of estates and properties in two counties (details supplied) that have been exempted from the local property tax following a challenge to the Ombudsman; the total number of complaints that have been received by the Ombudsman in the two said counties; if he will break this down into developments where a waiver for a household charge applied; if his Department have examined the complaints and the ones they have ruled on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37110/13]

Chains of Office

Andrew Doyle

875. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Chains belonging to current mayors and cathaoirleachs of current town councils that generally rotate on an annual basis, will continue to operate and be recognised under the new municipal authority system or area council, being introduced as part of the local Government reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37122/13]