Parliamentary questions

European Banking Sector

Andrew Doyle

219. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the Irish arrangements and permanent delegation to the European Banking Authority based in London; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29889/14]

Financial Instruments

Andrew Doyle

220. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if the practice of crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending can be incorporated in legislation in view of the recently issued consumer notice on crowdfunding, including peer-to-peer lending by the Central Bank of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29890/14]

World Bank Policy

Andrew Doyle

221. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline Ireland's operational relationship with the World Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29896/14]

Library Services Staff

Andrew Doyle

530. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if approval has been given to the application by Wicklow County Council to fill a number of vacancies in the Wicklow County Council library service, including the position of executive librarian at Greystones library; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29506/14]

Visa Agreements

Andrew Doyle

660. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the legislative provisions, both through Acts of the Oireachtas and statutory instruments that will need to be put in place before the commencement of the British Irish visa scheme for the common travel area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29888/14]

EU Meetings

Andrew Doyle

661. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will outline Ireland's operational arrangements as chairman of the Europol management board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29892/14]

Driver Licences

Andrew Doyle

841. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form a status report on mutual recognition of Irish driver licences with all the Canadian provinces and territories; the current status of Irish driver licences recognition for Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut; if he will provide an update on activities by the Road Safety Authority and the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa on having Irish driver licences recognised and setting up a reciprocal recognition scheme between each jurisdiction where recognition is not yet established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29887/14]

VAT Rate Application

Andrew Doyle

57. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if he will exempt community-based fund raising activities from the 23% VAT rate which currently exists particularly when such activities are voluntarily led with a view to supporting persons or communities who are fund raising to support terminal or serious illness (details supplied) in communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28583/14]

Enterprise Data

Andrew Doyle

251. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a breakdown by county of the 32,000 who started new businesses in 2013; if he will provide the data in tabular form; the support mechanisms already in place to assist this high level of activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27011/14]

Planning Issues

Andrew Doyle

377. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the signs of recovery of the building industry, his views that An Bord Pleanála board has a sufficient range of in-house expertise to deal with the anticipated extra workload; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26810/14]

Wastewater Treatment

Andrew Doyle

378. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the need to ensure that Ireland has a reliable, high-quality water supply, if there is sufficient guidance for An Bord Pleanála to ensure that every planning review which includes wastewater treatment is considered by a board which has adequate expertise to assess the proposals or obtains independent outside expert advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26811/14]

Departmental Functions

Andrew Doyle

379. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in the context of freedom of information and AEI regulations, if his Department or any other State body has provided any advice or guidance to bodies such as An Bord Pleanála to set out the way to handle contemporaneous notes taken in the consideration of cases or during board meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26812/14]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Andrew Doyle

689. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current position of the sports capital programme; if he will provide a breakdown of the applications that received the funding and the current status of applications that have yet to receive notification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27177/14]

Cycling Facilities Provision

Andrew Doyle

690. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the strategy for greenway development in Wicklow; if an implementation process has been put in place; if a time frame has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27178/14]

Mountain Rescue Service

Andrew Doyle

691. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current and future plans for the mountain rescue groups in County Wicklow; the provision of funding to assist these groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27179/14]

Tourism Data

Andrew Doyle

692. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total visitor numbers to County Wicklow in the past 12 months; the approximate spend in the county per visitor; the length of time and the breakdown of overseas versus visitors from Ireland; the direct and indirect employment breakdown for County Wicklow in tabular form; the future incentives for the county to bring more employment for tourism in Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27183/14]

National Pensions Reserve Fund Plans

Andrew Doyle

141. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if a strategic process for the National Pensions Reserve Fund has been put in place to become part of a funding mechanism for Enterprise Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25903/14]

Common Travel Area

Andrew Doyle

591. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the discussions both she and her officials have had with their respective counterparts in the British Government regarding the common travel area since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25941/14]

Common Travel Area

Andrew Doyle

592. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the discussions both she and her officials have had with their respective counterparts in Northern Ireland regarding the common travel area since March 2011 through the medium of the North-South Ministerial Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25943/14]

Road User Levy

Andrew Doyle

776. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions both he and his officials have had with their respective counterparts in Northern Ireland regarding the common travel area since March 2011 through the medium of the North-South Ministerial Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25951/14]

EU Regulations

Andrew Doyle

60. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the implementation process for Ireland in adopting the new general block exemption regulation; the assessment process; the effect to the grant process for the Industrial Development Agency, Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24829/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Andrew Doyle

77. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the appointment of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland admissions board has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24014/14]

Road Traffic Offences

Andrew Doyle

126. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify for taxi drivers who enter their destination to their satellite navigation software on their smart phones whether the automatic data updates for route information received during their journeys is prohibited as being data access while driving under the new legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24013/14]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

440. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person currently studying for a primary degree and in receipt of back to education allowance and who intends to progress to master's level, may retain back to education allowance at master's level or if there is another allowance available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22901/14]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

455. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person studying for a primary degree and in receipt of back to education allowance and who intends to progress to master's level may retain back to education allowance at master's level; if the person may work on a part-time basis should a job opportunity present itself; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23139/14]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

456. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and who has received an offer of part-time work, three hours a day, five days a week, at a minimum rate of pay, is entitled to retain some or part of their jobseeker's allowance in view of the fact that the maximum hours involved is 18 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23140/14]

HIQA Issues

Andrew Doyle

931. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information and Quality Authority charge organisations or service providers when they carry out an assessment of standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23250/14]

Diplomatic Representation

Andrew Doyle

147. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide the full details regarding the upcoming rotation of ambassadors of Ireland and consuls general concerning 36 appointments that were approved on 6 May 2014; if he will provide in tabular form the rotations that will take place in each embassy of Ireland and consulate general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21161/14]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Andrew Doyle

674. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects an announcement to be made regarding the allocation of funding for local organisations as part of the sports capital programme 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21162/14]

Rail Passengers Data

Andrew Doyle

675. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ask the operators of the LUAS and-or the National Transport Authority to provide the number of fines issued on a year-by-year basis from 2007 to date in 2014; the number that were paid every year, and the number that remained outstanding each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21163/14]

Broadband Service Provision

Andrew Doyle

126. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timeframe for the roll-out of fibre broadband in 15 locations in County Wicklow (details supplied) through State intervention as part of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20698/14]

Unified Patent Court

Andrew Doyle

113. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding jurisdictional powers to the Unified Patent Court: if he considers it necessary to hold a referendum to allow for the transfer of jurisdictional powers to the Unified Patent Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20536/14]

Consular Services Remit

Andrew Doyle

139. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the legal basis and legislative underpinning for the permanent representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20244/14]

Common Foreign and Security Policy

Andrew Doyle

140. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail Ireland's engagement with the European Union Satellite Centre based in Madrid and Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20245/14]

Patent Legislation

Andrew Doyle

214. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding bringing forward a referendum that is required to allow for the transfer of jurisdictional powers to the Unified Patent Court; when he expects the referendum to take place; the discussions held with officials from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding the timeframe for such a referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20241/14]

Joint Policing Committees Remit

Andrew Doyle

316. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way joint policing committees will fit into the new municipal district structures in local government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20243/14]

School Enrolments

Andrew Doyle

170. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Wicklow and Greystones Educate Together primary schools will form part of the new Educate Together secondary school in Bray, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19077/14]

School Staffing

Andrew Doyle

195. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow is oversubscribed to fill two classes of junior infants, but the school has capacity for a third junior infant class, but will not be allocated a teacher for this class unless the school can show that the third class would also be filled; if the school is not better off to have three classes of 25 children rather than two classes of 30, with 15 children left to repeat a year in preschool. [19299/14]

Microenterprise Loan Fund Expenditure

Andrew Doyle

259. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of microfinance that has been approved to date; the number of applications and if he will provide a breakdown per region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18988/14]

Foreign Direct Investment

Andrew Doyle

260. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the policy and strategy to develop a more balanced division of foreign direct investment, FDI, to the areas outside the main urban centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18989/14]

Horizon 2020 Strategy Implementation

Andrew Doyle

261. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his approach towards achieving our Horizon 2020 targets of €1.2 billion; the projected breakdown for microenterprise and small and medium enterprises; the strategy to streamline the process to achieve these targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18990/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

692. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Adoption Authority of Ireland has completed its consideration of the submissions from Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency and Arc Adoption for funding to act as accredited agencies for inter-country adoption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18898/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

693. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has received and considered submissions from the Adoption Authority of Ireland identifying 23 areas for change in the Adoption Act 2010 and if she will provide an outline of any planned legislation changes in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18899/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

694. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered any changes in how bilateral agreements for the purposes of inter-country adoption are established with Ireland as a receiving country; if she has had any discussion with the Adoption Authority of Ireland in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18900/14]

EU Issues

Andrew Doyle

148. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline Ireland's position at the Committee of Permanent Representatives and-or the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels during other meetings in recent years during discussions at EU level on increasing the number of judges at the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg; if Ireland agreed to increase the number of judges based on merit, regardless of their member state; or if Ireland took the position to stay with the spirit of Article 19(2) of the Treaty on European Union, of one judge per member state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18040/14]

Planning Issues

Andrew Doyle

397. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the progress of large-scale offshore wind development close to the east coast; if, in view of the period of time that has elapsed since then, the granting of developments will be reviewed to ascertain whether an acceptable alternative that is more aesthetic in design can be evaluated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17702/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure

Andrew Doyle

443. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the internal capital receipts collected for the provision of social housing in Wicklow-east Carlow will be ring-fenced for housing projects in the local areas where they were collected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17923/14]

Homeless Accommodation Funding

Andrew Doyle

444. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government since the pathway accommodation and support system was extended nationally in 2013, the amount of funding that has been allocated for the provision of permanent accommodation and services for homeless persons; the amount of money that has been allocated for emergency shelter accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17924/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Andrew Doyle

445. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the current housing shortage, if he has definite proposals for the Wicklow-east Carlow region to carry out an assessment of the land available which could be utilised for social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17925/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Andrew Doyle

446. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the urgent lack of suitable housing accommodation in the Wicklow-east Carlow catchment area, if his Department will consider lifting the embargo and allow the relevant local authority to commence building again in order to alleviate the current housing crisis affecting the eastern region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17926/14]