Parliamentary questions

Public Transport

Dessie Ellis

5. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to work with Dublin City Council and public transport companies to improve the accessibility and affordability of public transport links in Dublin, with a particular focus on the commuter belt and Dublin Airport. [39589/15]

City of Culture Initiative

Dessie Ellis

8. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the support his Department will provide to Dublin City Council as part of the council's efforts to secure city of culture status for 2020; and the estimated benefits a successful bid would have on the city's tourism industry. [39267/15]

Public Transport Initiatives

Dessie Ellis

9. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on plans for the Dublin Bus rapid transit system that has been proposed for the capital city. [39269/15]

Sale of Aer Lingus

Dessie Ellis

20. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress his Department has made in using the proceeds of the sale of Aer Lingus for a connectivity fund. [39266/15]

Public Transport

Dessie Ellis

26. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for a breakdown of the funding provided to Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann for 2015 and 2016; and his plans to increase revenue for these companies. [39270/15]

Rural Transport Services

Dessie Ellis

37. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the establishment of the transport co-ordination units to replace the former structure of the rural transport programme, and the timeframe in this regard. [39268/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Dessie Ellis

20. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to fast-track the delivery of modular units for emergency accommodation; and if he envisages any potential for legal challenge from commercial interests. [38225/15]

Occupational Injuries Benefit Eligibility

Dessie Ellis

37. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the criteria required to make a claim for compensation by a person who has been affected by asbestos exposure; the legislation that covers such compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38450/15]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

282. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Finance his plans for the delivery of 20,000 units for commercial sale by NAMA; and if any of these units will be made available for social housing or designated for affordable rent. [37633/15]

Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility

Dessie Ellis

953. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if home tuition can be provided for a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has autism and is awaiting the outcome of a section 29 appeal, which could take some time, as the child has already been absent from school for several months. [37654/15]

Local Authority Housing

Dessie Ellis

1075. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his planned timeline for the delivery of 500 modular units for emergency accommodation; the number of persons these will accommodate; and the length of time while social housing is being made available. [37907/15]

Local Authority Housing

Dessie Ellis

1076. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the estimates for the delivery of the 500 modular units for emergency accommodation; and the ancillary services required in tabular form. [37908/15]

Motor Insurance Coverage

Dessie Ellis

1164. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the rising costs of motor insurance for private vehicles and for taxis, with many motorists experiencing increases of around 100% in the past year, particularly customers of a company (details supplied); and his plans to keep motor insurance costs at a reasonable rate, which does not unfairly increase the cost of operating a vehicle. [37437/15]

Driver Test Centres

Dessie Ellis

1165. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of a request made to the Office of Public Works by the Road Safety Authority for a compound site to be made available in the north Dublin area to carry out driving tests and facilitate lessons for learner drivers, and the rationale for this request, if it is being pursued. [37438/15]

Driver Safety

Dessie Ellis

1166. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the ongoing issue of high volumes of learner drivers concentrated in certain estates, such as an area (details supplied) in Dublin 11, where at least 12 tests per day are carried out, as well as up to 68 approved driving instructors using the area for their lessons every day. [37439/15]

Road Safety Strategy

Dessie Ellis

1178. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to publish a winter gritting map for use by motorists when deciding their route during the winter period. [37811/15]

Road Safety Strategy

Dessie Ellis

1179. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to put a winter ambassador programme in place to support local efforts by a range of stakeholders, including rural post offices and An Garda Síochána, to get food and fuel to homes where people may not travel when roads are ice-bound, or to help get school routes salted within local communities. [37812/15]

Youth Services Funding

Dessie Ellis

89. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for a breakdown of funding for youth services and supports in west Wicklow from 2011 to 2015 to date; his plans to improve these services by providing, for example, a Garda Síochána diversion programme or outreach services, to address the growing demographic need and recent increased levels of young persons being out of school or engaging in drug and alcohol misuse. [36695/15]

Education Welfare Service

Dessie Ellis

144. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the problems being experienced in west Wicklow relating to the lack of provision for 12 to 16 year olds who have been expelled from school, including no visits from an educational officer or social worker in over a year, no intra-agency collaboration across administrative boundaries; and her plans to improve this situation. [36694/15]

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Dessie Ellis

157. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline in tabular form the funding that has been provided to west Wicklow in the past three years to deal with structural inequalities and spatial disadvantage. [36692/15]

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Dessie Ellis

158. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the inequalities in County Wicklow relating to service provision for dealing with spatial disadvantage, deprivation and social exclusion, particularly in the east of the county; and the measures being put in place to enable communities and young persons to access the services they need. [36693/15]

General Practitioner Services Provision

Dessie Ellis

447. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health the authority that a general practice has to ban a patient who is in receipt of a medical card, from its services because the person made a complaint to Dublin City Council regarding the parking of cars of the staff of the general practice outside a person's premises as they were a traffic hazard and a danger to children on the road. [36171/15]

Driver Licences

Dessie Ellis

691. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that Irish citizens (details supplied) born in the North of Ireland who renew their drivers licence are now designated as from Northern Ireland; if his Department is aware of the potential difficulties this discrepancy in official documents may cause when travelling internationally; the action his Department is taking to resolve such problems; and if he will allow such persons to be designated as from Ireland in the future. [36240/15]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Dessie Ellis

424. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost per modular housing unit; the size of the units per square meter; and the facilities available in each unit. [35422/15]

Fire Safety Regulations

Dessie Ellis

444. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government given questions raised regarding the National Asset Management Agency controlled Prospect Hill development at Leaders' Questions on 7 October 2015, if he will provide an outline of the extent of the problems which pose a health and safety threat in the whole of the complex, besides the 62 units already identified; the efforts by his Department to ascertain such details; and help in the resolution of the issue. [35776/15]

Fire Safety Regulations

Dessie Ellis

445. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the serious concerns of many local officials of Dublin City Council and others, that the health and safety threats relating to the National Asset Management Agency controlled Prospect Hill extends well beyond the 62 units currently identified. [35777/15]

Road Projects

Dessie Ellis

778. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that an upgrade to the M7 will not include a toll bridge, following the announcement of a €27 billion capital programme. [34663/15]

Motor Industry

Dessie Ellis

168. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the potential repercussions for the Irish motor industry, and the action his Department will take, as a result of allegations made against the Volkswagen company regarding the falsification of emissions in new model cars. [33484/15]

Driver Test Centres

Dessie Ellis

169. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the pass and failure rates in each driving test centre in Dublin; and if the price of a re-test will be re-evaluated. [33485/15]

Rail Network Maintenance

Dessie Ellis

2. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for the future of the Irish rail network after a period of cuts to subvention and moves to liberalise rail services across Europe supported by the European Union. [32199/15]

Rail Network Expansion

Dessie Ellis

5. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for no longer progressing with the DART underground project; and his plans for improving Dublin transport links with commuter towns and the airport through a further Luas extension. [32200/15]

Transport Policy

Dessie Ellis

15. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide regulations for the operation of non-traditional private for hire transport, such as Uber or rickshaws, in towns and cities here given recent local and international concerns about the security of passengers and the standards applied to such services. [31948/15]

Rail Services

Dessie Ellis

26. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the development of plans for the DART project; if he will confirm if this will remain under the auspices of Dublin Bus beyond 2018; and if not, if he will provide the rationale for this. [31952/15]

Tourism Policy

Dessie Ellis

34. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to encourage and develop historical tourism interest, focusing on the revolutionary periods of Irish history during and following on from the 1916 Easter Rising centenary year. [31950/15]

National Transport Authority

Dessie Ellis

146. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the progress of the plans to hold open tenders for 10% of existing Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann routes; and if he has met with either company to discuss potential difficulties for them should they be unsuccessful in retaining these contracts. [31951/15]

Private Rented Accommodation Price Controls

Dessie Ellis

33. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to tackle unaffordable rents in the private housing market. [29005/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

45. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the current expected shortfall in the housing and homelessness budgets for Dublin City Council; his plans for the allocation of additional funding and the estimated target for delivery of housing in Dublin; and the type of housing that will be provided. [29004/15]

Road Network

Dessie Ellis

911. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to upgrade the N28 road as part of an expansion of Cork Port, which has the support of the two local authorities, local industry and businesses, and other institutions, as a vital project in supporting local recovery. [28241/15]

Housing Issues

Dessie Ellis

228. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the difficulties in getting a connection to the Electricity Supply Board power grid by those behind the Clare Lane, Dublin, development and other social housing initiatives; the delays this is causing in delivering this housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27843/15]

Local Authority Housing Data

Dessie Ellis

621. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of houses on local authority books that are long-term vacant or in need of renovation. [26024/15]

Local Authority Housing Data

Dessie Ellis

622. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the average rental income for a local authority house by county. [26025/15]

Local Authority Housing Data

Dessie Ellis

623. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total rents received by local authorities for social housing in 2014; and the amount owed in outstanding arrears for that year. [26026/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure

Dessie Ellis

624. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the planned capital expenditure in each year up to 2020 for social housing build through local authorities. [26027/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Data

Dessie Ellis

627. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the social housing targets issued to local authorities by his Department for the period 2015 to 2017, detailing the total number of units to be delivered by each council and the breakdown of these units by construction and acquisition, social housing current expenditure programme and rental accommodation scheme; if he will provide the housing assistance payment targets for each relevant local authority for the period 2015 to 2017; and when those local authorities which do not currently have housing assistance payment targets will be provided with these targets. [26147/15]

Traveller Accommodation

Dessie Ellis

640. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to fund Traveller specific accommodation in the years 2015 to 2020m respectively; and if he will provide details of the allocation of this funding. [26347/15]

Traveller Accommodation

Dessie Ellis

641. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the average cost of the delivery of a unit of Traveller specific housing. [26348/15]

Traveller Accommodation

Dessie Ellis

642. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ensure the draw-down by local authorities of funding for Traveller accommodation; and the steps he will take to discourage failure to use this funding, as has happened in previous years. [26349/15]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

646. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the delivery of National Asset Management Agency housing units in north Kildare detailing where houses and apartments are and their current status. [26383/15]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Dessie Ellis

647. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the delivery of National Asset Management Agency units for social housing; the number that have been delivered or are in the process of coming on stream; the location; and if they are to be leased or purchased by local authorities. [26384/15]

Rail Network

Dessie Ellis

675. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reopen the Tuam to Athenry railway line in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25882/15]