Parliamentary questions

School Transport Provision

Anne Ferris

95. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools in County Wicklow that are facilitated with school buses; if he will provide a breakdown of each school and location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18386/14]

Tourism Capital Investment Programme

Anne Ferris

692. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which he expects Fáilte Ireland to issue the call for expressions of interest in connection with the possible development of a national diaspora centre, which he said in his statement of 3 March would be made within a matter of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17495/14]

Garda Strength

Anne Ferris

459. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda personnel in Cork city; the number of gardaí assigned to the Togher area; the figures for crime in Togher in the past 12 months and a breakdown of these crimes; if there has been a reduction in Garda numbers and-or resources in Togher in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16543/14]

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Anne Ferris

289. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department discussed with the National Transport Authority what will happen to bus passes on Dublin Bus routes 17, 17a, 18, 75, 76, 76a, 102, 104, 33a, 33b, 45a, 59, 63, 111, 114, 161, 184, 185, 220, 236, 238, 239 and 270 once these are put out for tender under a public service contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15166/14]

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Anne Ferris

290. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm she will not cut the Department's budget for bus passes on Dublin Bus routes 17, 17a, 18, 75, 76, 76a, 102, 104, 33a, 33b, 45a, 59, 63, 111, 114, 161, 184, 185, 220, 236, 238, 239 and 270 once these 23 routes move to a contract under public service obligation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15167/14]

Departmental Strategies

Anne Ferris

134. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the national landscape plan; the way the plan will deal with offshore views and prospects; the way the plan will manage conflicts that can currently exist in the level of protection afforded to similar landscape types in different county development plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9775/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Anne Ferris

139. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has received the terms of reference from the chair of the pylon review group; if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9774/14]

Charities Regulation

Anne Ferris

185. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on concerns that an interim charity regulator lacks sufficient authority to bring about change in the sector; if he plans on tasking the new charity regulator with a broad remit to instil a rights based culture and set standards for management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9907/14]

Criminal Prosecutions

Anne Ferris

186. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the head of Child and Family Agency’s suggestion that criminal records be wiped at 18 except for the most serious offences; if officials in his Department have considered proposals along these lines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9908/14]

Adoption Legislation

Anne Ferris

211. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the adoption (information and tracing) Bill; the way it is envisaged that the legislation will protect the family rights and other rights, under the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitution, of the thousands of adoptees, natural mothers and their broader birth families who are currently being denied the opportunity to act as natural family units due to difficulties in accessing birth and adoption records; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9776/14]

Tourism Project Funding

Anne Ferris

282. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 920 of 15 January 2014, when it is expected that the call for expressions of interest to develop a diaspora centre will be issued; the form the call will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9922/14]

Public Service Obligation Services

Anne Ferris

289. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that the Dublin Bus routes that will be publicly tendered under the PSO contract will be obliged to offer full ticketing integration with both Dublin Bus and the Leap card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7221/14]

Public Service Obligation Services

Anne Ferris

290. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that the Dublin Bus routes that will be publicly tendered under the PSO contract will be obliged to offer full wheelchair accessibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7222/14]

Public Service Obligation Services

Anne Ferris

291. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that the Dublin Bus routes that will be publicly tendered under the PSO contract will be obliged to accept bus passes as per the present arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7223/14]

Weight of Schoolbags

Anne Ferris

63. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the concerns of parents that children's schoolbags are too heavy because of the weight of books; the action his Department will take in consultation with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7151/14]

Child Abuse Reports

Anne Ferris

185. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child report on the Vatican's child protection procedures; her views on the level of co-operation between church authorities here and the relevant civil agencies under the new child protection reforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7152/14]

VAT Rate Reductions

Anne Ferris

47. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the impact the retention of the 9% VAT rate has on the tourism sector in Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6034/14]

Office of Public Works Properties

Anne Ferris

75. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the various Office of Public Works tourism and heritage sites in Wicklow along with their corresponding footfall figures for the four quarters in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the funding that each site receives including funding allocated for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6033/14]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

128. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for the Magdalen redress scheme that have been processed; the payments made and the contribution to date of the four religious orders implicated in that scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6032/14]

Homelessness Strategy

Anne Ferris

134. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date by the Irish Prison Service in targeting the problem of homelessness among women; if he will provide a list of the agencies with which the Irish Prison Service has co-operated to this end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6031/14]