Parliamentary questions

Electric Vehicles

Catherine Martin

545. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to recognise the role of electric and electrically assisted vehicles in providing for sustainable transport and travel; his further plans to regulate for the increase in pedal assisted electric bikes, electric scooters and electric unicycles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2570/19]

Cycling Facilities Provision

Catherine Martin

546. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to better regulate for the provision of contraflow cycle lanes on one-way roads as is common in Belgium and other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2571/19]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Martin

547. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the recommendations of the Department of Finance on internalisation of GHG emissions in cost-benefit analysis are being used in the revision of the common appraisal framework guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/19]

Public Transport Initiatives

Catherine Martin

548. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has sought a plan from the Office of Public Works to reduce car parking spaces at public offices in which alternative travel options are possible and require other public sector organisations to do likewise as part of their workplace travel plans as provided for under action 8 of the Smarter Travel Transport Policy for Ireland 2009 – 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2573/19]

Free Travel Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Martin

549. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consideration will be given to allowing persons under 12 years of age to travel free on public transport as is common in other jurisdictions; and the estimated cost of providing same for one calendar year. [2576/19]

Adoption Legislation

Catherine Martin

632. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to include provision of rights that would guarantee legal certainty for male same-sex families adopting children abroad as part of the proposed civil registration Bill; and if not, the reason therefor. [2581/19]

Planning Issues

Catherine Martin

679. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the consequences for the legality of a grant of planning permission for a site if there was an element of fraud in the application that was discovered after the grant of planning permission, for example, if the document outlining the consent of the owner of the site to the planning application being sought was not genuine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2563/19]

National Monuments

Catherine Martin

698. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the last survey of archaeological monuments was conducted after a survey (details supplied); the names of subsequent reports; when an updated study will be conducted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2580/19]

Rental Sector

Catherine Martin

70. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to establish a register of rental prices in order to enable effective implementation of rent pressure zones. [1470/19]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Catherine Martin

94. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if and the way in which he plans to address the inability of those on middle to low incomes to afford a home in view of the fact the average house price is €379,923 in County Dublin. [1471/19]

State Examinations Exemptions

Catherine Martin

330. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a circular allowing for students who have been granted an exemption from Irish language studies on grounds of dyslexia to be granted an exemption from studying a third language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54506/18]

School Catchment Areas

Catherine Martin

378. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to request schools to provide information detailing individual school catchment areas for primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1569/19]

Electric Vehicle Grants

Catherine Martin

875. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of electric vehicles for sale here are not included in the list for the electric vehicle home charger grant scheme; his plans to remedy the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54509/18]

Broadband Service Provision

Catherine Martin

885. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of high speed broadband in the Glencullen area of County Dublin; the way in which he expects it to progress in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1779/19]

Rent Pressure Zones

Catherine Martin

1139. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to extend the date of expiration for rent pressure zones which are due to expire in December 2019; the period of time he plans to extend the zones for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54507/18]

Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan

Catherine Martin

95. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans in respect of offshore wind energy; the number of offshore wind farms that are planned; the planned locations of these wind farms; the projected cost of same; his further plans to increase the capacity in this area over the next decade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53164/18]

Energy Efficiency

Catherine Martin

101. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for thermal retrofitting of private rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53163/18]

School Patronage

Catherine Martin

194. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the patronage status of a number of schools (details supplied); if the patronage of these schools will be taken over by local education training boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52777/18]

Autism Support Services

Catherine Martin

195. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy for children who, due to their significant educational needs, are unable to engage in mainstream education or ASD units beyond home tuition or who have been excluded from a mainstream school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52778/18]

School Patronage

Catherine Martin

197. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the likely timeline for the announcement of the patron bodies for the 12 new primary schools due to open in 2019 following the online patronage process system closing on 15 January 2019 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52809/18]

Waste Management Regulations

Catherine Martin

505. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if waste operators will be directed to install a clip on the lids of bins to prevent the bins being blown open during stormy weather and the escape of rubbish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52776/18]

Traffic Management

Catherine Martin

30. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has considered the promotion of car sharing technology to reduce gridlock in Dublin city; and the policies he will implement to incentivise the take up of such technology. [52046/18]

Legislative Measures

Catherine Martin

249. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered options to speed up the resolution of technical errors in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52321/18]

Invasive Plant Species

Catherine Martin

22. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures in place for tackling invasive species such as Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and gunnera tinctoria; and the role of his Department in managing the control of invasive species. [51156/18]

Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations

Catherine Martin

28. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement his Department has with the revision of the Common Agricultural Policy; and the process by which the EU Council of Ministers will address the design of the new CAP system. [51157/18]

Health Screening Programmes

Catherine Martin

237. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 343 of 9 October 2018, if further testing of the population for the presence of environmental chemicals will be undertaken; the nature of these chemicals; if men will be included in the cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51161/18]

Property Tax Exemptions

Catherine Martin

132. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Finance his plans to provide relief for local property tax for older persons in areas in which land prices have increased significantly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50565/18]

Tax Yield

Catherine Martin

159. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Finance the estimated full-year cost of the increases to the standard rate cut-off point to €50,000 over the next five years (details supplied). [50692/18]

Schools Facilities

Catherine Martin

218. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has made contact with a club (details supplied) in Dublin 15; if not, if the club has made contact with his Department with respect to providing sports facilities for a new school; if the availability of such facilities will be considered when deciding the location in which to permanently locate the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50743/18]

Taxi Data

Catherine Martin

587. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of wheelchair accessible taxis in the taxi fleet as an absolute number and as a percentage of the overall taxi fleet; the actions he is taking to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the taxi fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50544/18]

Bus Éireann Services

Catherine Martin

595. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans to privatise Bus Éireann route 133; the timeline for the commencement of the operation of such a route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50693/18]

Rail Network Expansion

Catherine Martin

596. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when initial works will take place on the DART upgrade of the Maynooth M3 Parkway commuter line; when a planning application will be submitted; when works will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50742/18]

Noise Pollution

Catherine Martin

597. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to seek current or capital budgetary allocations to support local authorities and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to implement noise reduction measures as identified in the Dublin agglomeration noise action plan 2018 to 2023 which is being drafted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50744/18]

Election Management System

Catherine Martin

722. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department has researched the amount it would cost to end the use of schools as polling stations and use other venues instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50750/18]

Election Management System

Catherine Martin

723. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his Department has conducted research into holding referendums and elections on weekends rather than on weekdays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50751/18]

Public Transport

Catherine Martin

238. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that audio announcements of upcoming stops are in full operation on all public transport vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49652/18]

Foreign Conflicts

Catherine Martin

125. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to increase diplomatic efforts through the EU to ensure South Sudan’s fragile peace deals holds. [49115/18]

Foreign Conflicts

Catherine Martin

126. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will continue to support the humanitarian efforts in South Sudan that are addressing the root causes of the conflict in the country. [49116/18]

Foreign Conflicts

Catherine Martin

127. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will continue to fund and support the conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts by an organisation (details supplied) in South Sudan in partnership with INGOs. [49117/18]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Martin

511. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the increase or decrease in transport greenhouse gas emissions compared with current levels expected to result from the implementation of the greater Dublin area transport strategy. [49073/18]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Catherine Martin

513. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the increase or decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to current levels expected to result from the implementation of the greater Dublin area transport strategy. [49167/18]

Child and Family Agency Funding

Catherine Martin

527. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if consideration is being given to providing funding to a service (details supplied) in order that the service can remain open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48846/18]

Land Development Agency

Catherine Martin

604. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which the Land Development Agency will interact with councils and local communities during the development process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48845/18]

Environmental Impact Assessments

Catherine Martin

611. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 24 May 2018, if his attention has been drawn to the decision (details supplied) of 16 October 2018; and his plans to ensure that the relevant cross-boundary consultation provided for in the EIA directive and the Espoo Convention are put in place without further delay. [49074/18]

National Orchestras

Catherine Martin

264. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made on bringing the National Symphony Orchestra within the remit of the National Concert Hall as per the statement of 5 July 2018; the timeline for completion of this transition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48546/18]

National Orchestras

Catherine Martin

265. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has met with the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra to discuss it coming under the aegis of the National Concert Hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48547/18]

National Orchestras

Catherine Martin

266. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to consult the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra in relation to her announcement on 5 July 2018 that they would be brought under the aegis of the National Concert Hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48548/18]

Proposed Legislation

Catherine Martin

253. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of plans to legislate for a hate crime to be considered as an aggravating factor in the sentencing of crimes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47897/18]

Crime Data

Catherine Martin

254. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of assaults carried out in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018 in which the victim was clearly targeted on the basis of being a transgender person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47898/18]

Medicinal Products Availability

Catherine Martin

445. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Health the actions that have been taken to speed up access to new medicines after their authorisation by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48099/18]