Parliamentary questions

Passport Services

Catherine Murphy

889. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is potential to allow passport renewals to be signed by a peace commissioner or by another official in good standing, in order to alleviate workloads placed upon An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38257/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

924. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will indicate, in respect of State boards under her Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37360/15]

Air Quality

Catherine Murphy

1037. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide to Dáil Éireann the modelling process conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of his Department when it comes to the recording and forecasting of air quality at any given time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37347/15]

Air Quality

Catherine Murphy

1038. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public awareness and education schemes run by his Department on an annual basis to inform the public on the importance of clean air; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37348/15]

Departmental Agencies Board Appointments

Catherine Murphy

1039. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37361/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Administration

Catherine Murphy

1094. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how it is intended to qualify a family as being homeless in light of the new housing assistance payment regulations in respect of the Kildare County Council area, where many families are living in overcrowded family situations, but might not be formally registered as homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38203/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Administration

Catherine Murphy

1095. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how it is intended to administer controls on the issue of top-up rents, where the housing assistance payment system will underfund tenancies in Kildare by up to 50%, to assist families who are unable to cope with this situation; if it will impact on their future eligibility for housing supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38204/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

1096. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how it is intended to proceed in cases of renewals or existing rentals where landlords indicate that they are happy to offer the housing assistance payment, but request market rent already paid; to accommodate the rights of current tenants receiving supports, where rents are above the maximum limits, as set out; what flexibility will be given to these tenants; what security of tenure they will be afforded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38205/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

1097. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to offer the housing assistance payment to both rent supplement and privately renting households; how he intends to prioritise cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38206/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

1098. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how he intends to manage the transfer of rent supplement applicants to the new housing assistance payment system, where applicants have been assessed by the Department of Social Protection under Article 38 of the Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowance) Regulations (Statutory Instrument No. 402 of 2007); if he intends to implement those maximum rent limits that are up to 50% lower in most cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38207/15]

Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

1099. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the processing time guidelines he plans to implement for housing assistance payment applications; the intended lead-time for landlords awaiting acceptance decisions, and the proposed application to payment times to manage the expectations of applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38208/15]

Register of Electors Administration

Catherine Murphy

1105. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is potential to allow applications for inclusion on the supplementary registers of electors to be signed by a Peace Commissioner or by another official in good standing, in order to alleviate workloads placed upon An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38258/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

1123. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which presently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37358/15]

Biofuel Obligation Scheme

Catherine Murphy

1126. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will indicate the performance to date of the biofuels obligation scheme; how it is verified that 6.383% of motor fuels by volume is coming from renewable sources; the revenue generated by the biofuel levy in each year of its operation; if his Department will be undertaking a review of the effectiveness of the scheme in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37469/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

1153. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which presently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37370/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

1200. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will indicate, in respect of State boards under her Department's remit, the name of each appointee from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37356/15]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Catherine Murphy

39. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his Department's assessment of the effectiveness of the State's adherence to Directive 2011/24/EU on patients' rights in cross-border health care; if he will confirm that it is possible for general practitioners to refer patients to a hospital abroad within the European Union and European Economic Area for a refundable clinical assessment to determine the medical necessity of a procedure covered under the treatment abroad scheme; if he is aware that this option is not readily communicated to patients, who may require urgent clinical assessment; if he will provide statistics relating to the number of procedures carried out in 2013, 2014 and in 2015 to date under the treatment abroad scheme, the associated cost and the number of refunds issued in respect of clinical assessments carried out overseas following Irish general practitioner referral in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36654/15]

Nursing Staff Provision

Catherine Murphy

61. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the pressure being exerted on nursing homes in terms of a shortage of nursing staff at present; that extreme delays in the registration process at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is exacerbating the problem, in addition to the flight of domestically qualified nurses from Ireland and the aggressive recruitment by larger hospitals of nurses working in nursing homes; the measures he will take to address the immediate shortage and encourage domestically qualified nurses to stay here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36268/15]

Private Rented Accommodation Price Controls

Catherine Murphy

158. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the impact that the high rental prices in urban areas are having on employee availability to take up new roles in city centres; the control measures he intends to implement; the studies that have been done on the increased operating and salary costs to new employers; if impact assessments have been done on the effect on innovation and start-ups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37137/15]

Hospital Appointments Delays

Catherine Murphy

285. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that urgent treatments and operations for patients are being postponed to ensure the facilitation of similar procedures for those with private medical insurance; the guarantees public patients have of availing of their procedure at the scheduled time; the factors that typically govern the setting of such appointment times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37076/15]

Teachers' Remuneration

Catherine Murphy

337. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to equalise the pay gap for newly qualified teachers to ensure that they are not receiving 34% less than other teachers with equal experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37023/15]

School Transport Provision

Catherine Murphy

338. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a specific policy on the withdrawal of school bus services for schoolchildren travelling from Johnstown Bridge in County Kildare; if she is aware of the impact of the non-provision of a school bus service on safety for children, traffic, expenditure and time spent commuting to the nearest school bus service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37024/15]

School Transport Provision

Catherine Murphy

339. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy decisions that were taken regarding the reduction in the provision of school bus transport where families were reliant on services; if she is aware that children have been refused concessionary transport and transport on a school bus where they were a free travel card holder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37025/15]

School Transport Data

Catherine Murphy

343. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills for statistics on the number of children accessing the school transport scheme in the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37084/15]

Private Rented Accommodation Costs

Catherine Murphy

350. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the protections tenants will have in the face of ever-increasing private rents that are now on par with the high rents charged in 2007; the impact this has on jobs; his plans to introduce intermediate control measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37136/15]

Child Poverty

Catherine Murphy

35. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which his Department co-operates with other Departments and State agencies to ensure the best outcomes for tackling child poverty rates, where indicators are showing no improvements in recent years despite the abatement of the worst of the economic crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35514/15]

Garda Investigations

Catherine Murphy

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the matters raised recently concerning the disappearance of a child (details supplied) in 1977; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35287/15]

Tax Reliefs Application

Catherine Murphy

10. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the differences between the old and new sections 481 for film; the body that administers the new scheme; if he is satisfied that the new scheme is working correctly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35837/15]

Film Industry Tax Reliefs

Catherine Murphy

115. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of applications for section 481 relief in 2015; the names of the films that have benefitted from this relief; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35838/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

116. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she plans to advertise publicly for the vacant position on the board of the Irish Film Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35839/15]

Capital Assistance Scheme Administration

Catherine Murphy

446. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent of his Department's funding of a cancelled building proposal (details supplied) on a site at Dromahair in County Leitrim; if he will provide an itemised list of all instances where State funds were spent on this proposal and, respectively, the purpose for same; his views that the proposal and moneys spent on it to date represent value for money for the taxpayer; the amount spent by Leitrim County Council relating to the site and former proposals to date; if he will account for the findings of the internal audit unit of his Department, which found a lack of documentation relating to key decisions and serious audit trail deficiencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35793/15]

Vaccination Programme

Catherine Murphy

163. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the arrangements he has made to meet with parents of girls who are suffering from illnesses following the administration of the Gardasil human papilloma virus vaccination; the research his Department or the Health Service Executive have carried out in this area; the evidence that has been presented concerning same; the arrangements he has made to provide ongoing medical assistance to such persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35058/15]

Vaccination Programme

Catherine Murphy

197. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements she has made to meet with parents of girls who may be suffering from illnesses following the administering of the Gardasil human papilloma virus vaccination; the arrangements she has made to provide assistance with supporting their continuing education, where they have been unable to attend school because of their illnesses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35057/15]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

419. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner who have left to take up positions elsewhere in the civil and public service; who have commenced work there, having been appointed from within the Civil Service; who have been appointed there from outside the Civil Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34198/15]

Departmental Records

Catherine Murphy

420. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if all records held by her Department concerning the tapping of the telephones of persons (details supplied) in 1983 were transferred to the National Archives, in full accordance with the National Archives Act 1986; if not, if she will provide a list of all such records, indicating the corresponding retention authorisation from her Department and the Department of the Taoiseach in each case, in accordance with section 8 of the aforementioned Act; if no such authorisations exist, the reason records have not been transferred as of this date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34232/15]

Disability Services Provision

Catherine Murphy

513. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that a person (details supplied) cannot be accommodated at the Central Remedial Clinic despite experiencing significant pain arising from a condition; if the Health Service Executive will examine ways to ensure that the treatment the person requires can be made available at greater intervals than one month; if the expertise necessary to treat the person's condition can be sourced within Ireland, rather than having to schedule appointments around the visit of a professional from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34239/15]

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Catherine Murphy

633. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of departmental staff with access to the primary online database who have received Garda Síochána vetting for handling data relating to vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34084/15]

Public Sector Staff Redundancies

Catherine Murphy

20. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that some State agencies require employees who wish to avail of voluntary redundancy to sign compromise agreements; the extent to which her Department is aware of the practice and if any concern exists that such agreements may present less favourable conditions to signatories than standard or typical redundancy agreements; if she will provide a list of all Departments and State agencies that currently, or have at any time in the past five years, required staff who avail of voluntary redundancy to sign compromise agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33018/15]

JobPath Implementation

Catherine Murphy

34. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the tendering process undertaken to award the JobPath contract; if this contract secures matched funding from the European Social Fund or through the Horizon 2020 fund; the way in which such contracts are assessed and awarded; the names of the companies that have submitted proposals from within the European Union; the reason Ireland's existing local employment services have not benefitted from the awarding of similar funding; the administrative cost that is levied on the management of the awarded contract; the way in which the funding breaks down, specifically in relation to targets and sector areas; the submissions for funding her Department has made under the widening participation in society element; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33030/15]

Freedom of Information Requests

Catherine Murphy

81. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the resources in his Department to manage and respond to freedom of information, FOI, requests; the additional staff or staff hours he has made available towards the FOI unit in 2015; if he is satisfied that FOI request response times are adequate for his Department; if the workload from FOI requests has increased this year, and if so, by how much compared to 2014; the number of cases in 2015 where an internal review of an FOI decision was requested; the number of these that were submitted to the Information Commissioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33504/15]

Freedom of Information Data

Catherine Murphy

88. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide information indicating the performance of each Department in responding to freedom of information, FOI, requests in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; if he has identified any area where additional resources may be required; if he is satisfied that the spirit of openness sought by the introduction of FOI legislation has been achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33507/15]

International Agreements

Catherine Murphy

164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government following his welcome for the European Union negotiating position at the 21st conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in France, when the Government will formally ratify the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which was due to be completed by the third quarter of 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33601/15]

Heritage Sites

Catherine Murphy

631. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the exact provisions under which she granted consent, on 7 September 2015, for the filming of scenes for the film "Star Wars" on Sceilig Mhichíl; to explain why the consent letter did not provide these details, so that the lawfulness of the consent could be considered; to provide a complete and full copy of the consent to Dáil Éireann, or, to provide a reason as to why, if this is not possible; to provide a full list of all consents, licences, permits, and authorisations issued by the Government or State agencies in respect of these works, and a copy of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32949/15]

Heritage Sites

Catherine Murphy

632. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide to Dáil Éireann a copy of any and all considerations by the Minister and her Department, in relation to the requirement for a section 14 consent under the National Monuments Act 1930, as amended, and the basis on which she determined that any such consent would not be required, and when any such determination was made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32950/15]

Heritage Sites

Catherine Murphy

633. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the recent filming for the "Star Wars" picture on Sceilig Mhichíl from 7 to 18 September 2015 inclusive, if she will provide to Dáil Éireann a full and complete report in respect of the special protection area for birds protected under both the European Union (EU) birds and habitats directive and our own national regulations implementing same; if she will detail the timing of all the helicopter flights arriving and departing from the islands; if she will specify the wait-times on the helipad over this period; if she will detail all incidents with the protected bird species on or approaching the island over this period; if she will require from the National Protection Wildlife Service and all ecologists present on the islands over the period, to provide her with detailed reports on any concerns and issues encountered with the protected species or protected habitats over the period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32951/15]

Departmental Bodies

Catherine Murphy

634. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views that the existing staff complement can deal with the volume of work at the Irish Film Board; her plans to increase the number of staff at the Irish Film Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33091/15]

Departmental Bodies

Catherine Murphy

635. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the length of time it takes for the Irish Film Board to pay invoices to film-makers; her views that the Irish Film Board should adhere to best business practice, by paying invoices within 30 days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33092/15]

Departmental Bodies

Catherine Murphy

636. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will confirm that the Irish Film Board has no funding remaining for the 2015 financial year to fund new film projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33093/15]

National Library

Catherine Murphy

6. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the recent merger of the Chief Herald function and the genealogical function at the National Library of Ireland into a new division and the fact that family researchers account for the single biggest user group at the National Library of Ireland, her plans to offer greater resources to the National Library of Ireland to assist in this function and take advantage of efficiencies offered by the merger to allow the National Library of Ireland to generate more user-derived income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32178/15]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

169. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the current funding to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; the current staff complement; the proportion by which each category has changed over the past five years; his plans to provide additional resources to assist the board in tackling the large backlog of registration applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32648/15]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

170. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate what the current average waiting time is, in weeks, for the processing of registration applications at the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; what representations he has received in respect of tackling the delays which exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32649/15]

Rail Network Expansion

Catherine Murphy

3. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that it is his intention not to proceed with the DART underground at this time; his rationale for this decision; his view on whether it is the case that no other proposed option could deliver the network-wide capacity increase needed in the Dublin region, the population of which is expected to grow by 400,000 by 2030; if he will reverse this decision in advance of the deadline for activating compulsory purchase orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32056/15]

State Bodies Property

Catherine Murphy

12. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he received any correspondence containing concerns or queries as to the manner in which the sale process of the CIE site at Tara Street, Dublin 2, was conducted; if he has received any correspondence from third parties in relation to same; his contact with the board of CIE in relation to this correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31955/15]

Public Transport Initiatives

Catherine Murphy

30. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the projected capacity and frequency for the proposed Luas link to Swords, County Dublin via Dublin Airport; if such capacity and frequency levels are appropriate for a region where the population is expected to increase by 400,000 and given that Dublin Airport intends to dramatically expand passenger numbers; his views on concerns that the route, as presently envisaged, does not interchange with the Connolly-Blanchardstown rail line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31957/15]

Public Transport

Catherine Murphy

41. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the resulting increase in vehicle emissions arising as a result of the cancellation of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit underground has been estimated; if it will factor in to his Department’s ongoing preparation of its contribution to the national mitigation plan under the forthcoming Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill; his views that his Department can possibly meet its proportionate emissions reduction objective in the timeframe envisaged; if he will publish the advice he has received on this matter to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31956/15]

Rail Network

Catherine Murphy

148. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale behind the decision to terminate the DART underground project; the representations he has received from the business community and from interested groups expressing concerns regarding the abandonment of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32057/15]

Local Employment Service

Catherine Murphy

258. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans for the development of the local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31821/15]

Local Employment Service

Catherine Murphy

259. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons engaged in the advice and guidance service of the local employment services in each of the past three years; the way outcomes are measured; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31822/15]

Local Employment Service

Catherine Murphy

260. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to retain the services of the local employment service in view of her development plans for her Department as a whole; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31823/15]

JobPath Implementation

Catherine Murphy

261. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the contracts that have been issued to date in relation to JobPath programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31824/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

430. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons who have been employed under the positive opportunities scheme in each Department and State agency for the years 2008 to 2014 and to date in 2015; the proportion of total new hires such employees made up in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31819/15]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

432. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will indicate, in each case where the civil and public service recruitment embargo has been relaxed throughout the course of the embargo, if the 3% target under the positive opportunities scheme was met; if the scheme was taken into consideration at all for each of these cases; if he will provide relevant data in tabular form for each case where the recruitment embargo was relaxed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31851/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

433. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his policy plans for the positive opportunities scheme; the revised targets he proposed; his views that the economic crisis and resulting recruitment embargo had a more serious detrimental effect on the opportunities that would have otherwise been available to persons under the scheme than recruits to the Civil Service in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31852/15]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

463. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is aware that some State agencies are requiring employees who wish to avail of voluntary redundancy, to sign compromise agreements; the extent to which his Department is aware of the practice; his views that such agreements may present less favourable conditions to signatories than standard or typical redundancy agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32236/15]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Catherine Murphy

1044. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that the extreme delays by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland in processing new registrations of nurses is having a serious and detrimental effect on the ability of many institutions to provide even the most basic services, in particular at nursing homes; the measures that have been taken in the past year to address this problem; the number of new staff who have been recruited to handle backlogs; the commitments he can make to alleviate the long delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31625/15]

Medical Card Data

Catherine Murphy

1083. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for a medical card that have been refused on the basis of a person’s income being below the minimum threshold; the way he will provide health care for those disadvantaged persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31857/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

1084. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide health care for homeless persons who are registered as being homeless and by being homeless have their medical cards withdrawn where those persons are outside the Dublin regional homeless executive area and other city homeless executive areas in the State; his plans to allow an interim medical card for these homeless adults and children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31859/15]

Schools Mental Health Strategies

Catherine Murphy

1317. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the elements of the standard curriculum at secondary level that have been implemented to tackle the high rate of teenage suicide; her plans to make such a policy form a mandatory part of the curriculum; her views that there are lessons to be learned from a comparative programme designed to address teen pregnancy rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31855/15]

Ministerial Correspondence

Catherine Murphy

1470. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Minister of State's letter to the chief executive officers of the four Dublin local authorities dated 10 June 2015 that urged adherence to minimum development plan standards in building construction would be at extreme variance with his consistent argument that water conservation methods must be encouraged domestically; his further views on the inclusion in a city-county development plan, which stipulated a high water conservation standard along the lines of his objection letter of 10 June last; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31820/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Catherine Murphy

1471. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the four Dublin local authorities, Meath County Council, Kildare County Council and Wicklow County Council, the amount of houses acquired for social housing; the amount of properties entered into rental accommodation scheme and under the social leasing initiative; the amount constructed for social housing since the announcement earlier this year of large-scale measures to tackle the housing problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31826/15]

Homelessness Strategy

Catherine Murphy

1474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on each of the 20 initiatives arising from the 2014 conference on homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31854/15]

Rail Network Expansion

Catherine Murphy

1618. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will indicate the extent of existing rail infrastructure at Dublin Airport, including all infrastructure originally built with the intention of accommodating rail transport; if he will indicate what this space is currently being used for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31448/15]

Rail Network Expansion

Catherine Murphy

1622. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of public moneys that have been spent on the proposed DART underground project to date; if he will provide a breakdown of this figure by category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31525/15]

State Bodies Property

Catherine Murphy

1634. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of station houses, previously owned and maintained by CIE and Irish Rail, that have been sold recently; if he will provide an itemised list of all such cases indicating the moneys received by the State in each case, the estimate value of each property before sale; the reason such sales were considered; if public heritage was taken into consideration in advance of sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31853/15]

Air Traffic Control Services

Catherine Murphy

1635. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there have been any changes to prescribed flight paths in the Dublin region in the past year; if so, the details of same; if he will provide a map of the current standard flight paths utilised by Dublin Airport, Baldonnel Airport and Weston Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31868/15]

Air Traffic Control Services

Catherine Murphy

1636. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the specific conditions that exist for air traffic at Dublin Airport, Baldonnel Airport and Weston Airport with regard to the overflight of residential areas between 18:00 hrs and 07:00 hrs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31870/15]

Vacancies on State Boards

Catherine Murphy

1694. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to advertise publicly for the position of chairman of the Irish Film Board; if so, when she intends to do this; the qualifications required for the position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31444/15]

Housing Assistance Payments

Catherine Murphy

3. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the housing assistance payment will be confined to existing rent cap limits for rent supplement in locations where those rent caps are being routinely negotiated upwards; if so, how they anticipate acquiring houses under the HAP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29234/15]

Building Regulations

Catherine Murphy

10. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason he and his colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, wrote to each chief executive of the four local authorities in County Dublin on 10 June 2015 on the matter of building standards; if he will describe precisely the unreasonable and excessive requirements in the standard of housing or ancillary services to which he referred in the letter; the standards he would deem acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28763/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Catherine Murphy

29. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the information supplied to him regarding the steady rise in the number of homeless persons in the Dublin commuter belt region, if he will consider extending the Dublin Homeless Executive model to those areas in the immediate hinterland of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28762/15]

Child Benefit Data

Catherine Murphy

85. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number and percentage of claims under the child benefit scheme that are reviewed yearly; if the claims for review are selected randomly or on a targeted basis; if targeted, how is this determined; the number of claimants who have had more than one review in the past five years; the number of claims that have been withdrawn and reinstated in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29979/15]

Child Benefit Administration

Catherine Murphy

103. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 has received yet another review of a child benefit claim following just days after the claim was reinstated; if this person is being specifically targeted, given that the person was subjected to several reviews since 2012; if the error made by her Department in respect of details on this person's PPS number is at the heart of the issue; if the person has been given a full and frank explanation of how this error occurred; if not, when will the person receive this; in the event that the Data Protection Act was breached, if this was notified to the Data Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30180/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Catherine Murphy

121. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that jobseekers engaging in return to work interviews have been obligated to hand in advice to employers of a grant of €10,000 that is available to employers for every curriculum vitae the employee submits; that the jobseekers have no choice in submitting this letter along with their curriculum vitae, and that they are not permitted to hand their curriculum vitae alone to prospective employers; if she has a defined policy in this regard; if that is a policy position that has recently changed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30415/15]

Valuation Office

Catherine Murphy

237. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if it was possible when the Valuation Office had oversight for foreshores for it to value the foreshore as land within the meaning of section 3 of the Valuation Act 2001; if so, when that remit changed; if it has been transferred elsewhere; if not, the way it is valued; if the foreshore in question abuts a residential unit, the legal issues this creates in the context of ground rent and lease agreements; if this issue is covered by legislation, the details of that legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29845/15]

Data Protection

Catherine Murphy

400. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department was notified by the Department of Social Protection of an identity error in respect of a person (details supplied); the measures her Department has taken to ensure there are no residual consequences for the person in question; if she will outline how the various records have been amended; if her Department will acknowledge the error in writing to this person; if the Data Protection Acts were breached and, if so, whether this has been notified to the Data Protection Commissioner; if not, the reason for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30280/15]

Child Care Services Provision

Catherine Murphy

496. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate where gaps exist in the speech and language, child psychology and occupational services nationally, by county or Health Service Executive area, including child and adolescent mental health services; if his Department has funding to fill these gaps; if so, the recruitment initiatives that have been, or are being, undertaken to fill these gaps; the waiting list numbers that exist for the corresponding shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29839/15]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Catherine Murphy

706. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there has been an extreme delay in his signing off the updated planning guidelines for wind developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29235/15]

JobsPlus Scheme

Catherine Murphy

234. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the purpose of the €10,000 bursary to employers employing those from the live register has impacted upon numbers on the live register; if so, the number of persons involved; the number of employers who have been paid this bursary to date; the total cost to the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28963/15]

Job Initiatives

Catherine Murphy

236. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of jobseekers, by region, who have been penalised with penalty rates for not engaging with the Pathways to Work programme; the number of penalties that have been applied, and for how long; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28967/15]

Water Conservation Grant

Catherine Murphy

237. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who are homeowners, landlords, tenants, and separately, social housing tenants who have registered for the water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28971/15]

Water Conservation Grant

Catherine Murphy

238. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the name of the company which was awarded the contract at tender stage to administer the water conservation grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28972/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Catherine Murphy

239. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend the limit of the rent supplement to reflect the market increase in rents; her views on recent reports published by homelessness advocates, in terms of the homelessness crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28974/15]

Job Assist Scheme Eligibility

Catherine Murphy

243. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to roll-out the Pathways to Work programme to include all jobseekers and lone parents who are transitioning on to the jobseeker's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29047/15]

Pension Provisions

Catherine Murphy

315. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the changes which have been made to regulations governing approved minimum retirement funds in the past three years; if he is aware that changes made recently have had the effect of preventing withdrawals from a pension fund above 4% of gross value per year until a beneficiary has reached 75 years of age; the circumstances under which a person may withdraw more than this level in order to address outstanding tax liabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29164/15]

Valuation Office

Catherine Murphy

322. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if it is possible for the Valuation Office to value foreshore as land within the meaning of section 3 of the Valuation Act 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29165/15]

Public Sector Staff

Catherine Murphy

326. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which public servants, who have opted for part-time work for parenting reasons, may opt back to full-time positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28293/15]

State Properties

Catherine Murphy

329. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position in respect of the sale of an estate (details supplied) in County Cork; the steps taken by him to safeguard the property interests of the State in such transactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28475/15]

Freedom of Information Requests

Catherine Murphy

336. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is aware that some Departments and agencies are setting down inordinate search fees in response to precisely formulated and subsequently refined Freedom of Information Act 2014 requests, and then using them as the basis for the denial of such requests; if instructions have been issued, or signals provided, to officials to carry out exhaustive searching far beyond the immediate information fields sought; the way applicants are expected to make and refine requests, in the absence of information required under section 58.2 (d) of the Act; if he will re-affirm that the purpose of the Freedom of Information Acts is to make requests for information easier rather than more difficult; if he will issue guidelines to the effect that the level of searching should be proportionate and responsive to the information requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29028/15]

Freedom of Information Requests

Catherine Murphy

337. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is aware of the practice whereby Government bodies under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 effectively deny, through substantial redaction, freedom of information requests to them, concerning funding applications by voluntary and community organisations, on the basis that any such information could reasonably be expected to result in a material financial loss or gain to the organisations, or could prejudice the competitive position of those organisations in the conduct of their business; if such denials are in accordance with the intentions of the Act; if he will reconcile such denials with the requirements of the Charities Acts for voluntary organisations to be fully transparent in their financial operations; if he will issue guidance to bodies covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2014, that it is improper to rely on such arguments to deny such requests made under the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29030/15]

EU Directives

Catherine Murphy

348. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the communication held between his Department with the Law Society regarding the effect of the services directive or of Statutory Instrument 533/2010 in implementing the services directive, on the current laws and regulations restricting commercial communications by solicitors, including their continued enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28457/15]