Parliamentary questions

Defence Forces Deployment

Stephen Donnelly

339. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide in tabular form the number of missions the UN, EU and any other organisations have asked the Defence Forces to contribute personnel to in the past ten years; the nature or tasks of the units requested to contribute; and where it was decided not to contribute, the relevant rationale. [20250/14]

IBRC Liquidation

Stephen Donnelly

39. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the statement by the special liquidators of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation on 25 April 2014 in which they stated a sum of money will be set aside to facilitate the provision of termination payments to certain IBRC employees who were employed by IBRC on 7 February 2013, if he will confirm the sum of money in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19747/14]

Redundancy Statistics

Stephen Donnelly

79. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form for the years 2009 to 2013 the annual number of companies that have applied for statutory redundancy payments; the number of persons to which these applications related; and the number of persons to whom statutory redundancy payments were made. [19746/14]

Planning Issues

Stephen Donnelly

450. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his policy on the duty of local authorities to enforce the terms and conditions of planning approvals granted by An Bord Pleanála under section 175 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 for a public private partnership project, where such terms and conditions are essential to preserving the integrity of the coastline and to preventing or limiting coastal erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18743/14]

Planning Issues

Stephen Donnelly

451. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the mechanisms for oversight and-or mechanisms for investigation available for the actions of a local authority to be investigated, where the local authority has failed or neglected to enforce planning terms and conditions granted by An Bord Pleanála under section 175 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 for a public private partnership project, which are essential to preserving the integrity of the coastline and to preventing or limiting coastal erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18744/14]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Stephen Donnelly

45. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance in respect of the recent sale of mortgages by Certus-Bank of Scotland to Tanager, if these mortgages will be covered by the code of conduct on mortgage arrears; if Tanager will be subject to the Government's targets on offering sustainable solutions to mortgage holders in arrears of 90 days or more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18177/14]

IBRC Liquidation

Stephen Donnelly

178. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance following the reported sale of €800 million of par value loans by the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation to an entity linked to a person (details supplied), if will confirm that the sale price achieved for said loans represented the best price offered; and if he will confirm that the price offered by unsuccessful bidders was less than the price offered by the entity linked to the person concerned. [17562/14]

IBRC Liquidation

Stephen Donnelly

179. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of debt that was forgiven by the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation when it sold €800 million of par value loans linked to a person to an entity linked to a person (details supplied). [17563/14]

IBRC Loans

Stephen Donnelly

180. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 4 March 2014, the total par value of loans covered by the 33 borrower groups that have or will be offered for sale; the total par value of the loans covered by the 33 borrower groups that have been sold to date; and the total sale proceeds that will be received for the loans sold to date. [17564/14]

IBRC Loans

Stephen Donnelly

181. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 4 March 2014, the total par value of loans covered by the 33 borrower groups that have now been sold to parties who would have been precluded from purchasing the loans; and if section 172 of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 had been adopted for the disposal of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation loans. [17565/14]

IBRC Loans

Stephen Donnelly

182. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance his views on the amount of revenue forgone to the State, since December 2009, as a result of section 172 of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009, in view of the recent disposal of €800 million of par value loans, dubbed Project Pebble, by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation to an entity linked to the borrower. [17566/14]

IBRC Loans

Stephen Donnelly

183. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 4 March 2014, his plans to amend or revoke section 172 of the National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 in view of its discriminatory effect on borrowers with one State organisation, when another State-controlled organisation, namely the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, is selling loans, at a discount to par values, to parties linked to the borrowers. [17567/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Stephen Donnelly

231. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the proposed development at Tank Field (details supplied) in County Cork. [17491/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

413. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the mortgage to rent scheme, the funding that has been allocated per local authority for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17602/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

414. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the mortgage to rent scheme, the number of completed deals that have been completed to date in 2014 by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17603/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

415. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the mortgage to rent scheme, the property value cap-maximum allowed per geographic area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17604/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

416. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the mortgage to rent scheme, if he will provide the analysis leading to the property value cap-maximum allowed per geographic area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17605/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

417. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the mortgage to rent scheme, the current set of eligibility criteria and any changes made to these criteria in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17606/14]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Stephen Donnelly

418. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government subsequent to this Deputy's proposal on the mortgage to rent scheme (details supplied), if he will incorporate any of the proposals made into the mortgage to rent scheme, and, if so, when, and, if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17607/14]

Planning Issues

Stephen Donnelly

419. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his policy in relation to local authorities gifting public assets to private companies, with the stated intention of achieving financial viability for a project the private company is working on (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17608/14]

Planning Issues

Stephen Donnelly

420. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the oversight and-or mechanisms for investigations available for the actions of a local authority to be investigated, where the local authority has gifted public assets to a private company, with the stated intention of achieving financial viability for a project the private company is working on (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17609/14]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Stephen Donnelly

485. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person is signing onto the live register to receive jobseeker's allowance, if this will impact on their application for Irish citizenship in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17753/14]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Stephen Donnelly

185. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he considers rheumatoid arthritis to be a long-term illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17085/14]

School Transport Administration

Stephen Donnelly

37. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish the State's official response in the EU Commission state aid investigation of State aid to Bus Éireann and its answer to the question by EU Commission in C 31/07 Paragraph 82 of its letter to him (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15173/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

140. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm what the 64% refers to; if it is the par value, IBRC book value or a volume related figure. [16513/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

141. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm which sub-portfolios have been sold by the special liquidators. [16514/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

142. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm the consideration being paid for the disposal; the number of buy-to-let mortgages being sold; and the number of owner occupier being sold. [16515/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

143. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm that, according to the Central Bank of Ireland code of conduct for mortgage arrears, borrowers whose mortgages are in long-term arrears and are classified as long-term delinquent have no protection whatsoever from repossession action by the new buyers of the mortgage books. [16516/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

144. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm that, according to the Central Bank of Ireland code of conduct for mortgage arrears, borrowers whose mortgages are classified as buy-to-let are not protected by the code. [16517/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

145. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance further to the announcement of the special liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation that they have agreed the sale of 64% of the €1.8 billion IBRC mortgage book, if he will confirm the par value of the unsold mortgages that will now be transferred to the National Asset Management Agency and the price that will be paid by NAMA for said mortgages. [16518/14]

Building Control Management System

Stephen Donnelly

403. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for the withdrawal of the building control management system; the way this service is now being delivered; the consultants engaged; the ongoing costs and the funding model for delivering this service to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16672/14]

Commissions of Investigation

Stephen Donnelly

448. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of audio files in any and all digital formats relating to the current Garda recordings controversy; the total size and duration of those files; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16409/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Stephen Donnelly

603. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 513 of 10 December 2013, if any progress has been made regarding securing alternative accommodation proposals as an interim solution pending the outcome of the primary care development; if there has been any progress on a permanent solution for a primary care centre serving north County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16284/14]

Insolvency Service of Ireland Data

Stephen Donnelly

122. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will publish in full the recommendations on the laws of insolvency applying to small and medium enterprises made to him by the Company Law Review Group; the way his Department has dealt with these recommendations to date; the steps he intends to take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15456/14]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Stephen Donnelly

274. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the State contributory pension, if a person who has worked for 50 years from 1964 to 2014, who has paid 2,253 contributions plus taxes is entitled to €225.80; if a person who worked for 30 years from 1979 to 2009, who has paid 1,434 contributions plus taxes is entitled to €230.30; if a person who worked for ten years from 2004 to 2014, who has paid 520 contributions plus taxes is entitled to €230.30; her views on whether it is fair that a person who makes fewer than 25% of the number of contributions of another could be paid more per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14957/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Stephen Donnelly

356. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way funding was allocated under the recently-launched local authority construction initiative; the number of proposals from each local authority with addresses, number of units and estimated costings that were submitted for the initiative but not accepted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14961/14]

Building Regulations Qualifications

Stephen Donnelly

357. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason architectural technologists are excluded from signing design certificates and completion certificates under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, SI 9 of 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14965/14]

Building Regulations Qualifications

Stephen Donnelly

371. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken to ascertain the readiness of all Departments regarding compliance with the regulations, prior to the deferral of the implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 in respect of educational and hospital projects; if he received specific representations from the Departments of Education and Skills and Health and, if so, if he will publish those representations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15215/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

372. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department considered the potential negative impact which compliance with the public disclosure and lodgment requirements in the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 will have on FDI projects; if any State agencies made any representations in that regard, if so, if he will publish them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15216/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

373. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that he has confirmed that he introduced the new building control regulations to respond to failures in the residential sector, the rationale behind the regulations being applied to all classes of building construction project, residential and non-residential alike; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15217/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

374. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department considered introducing a system of independent inspection of design and construction, such as can be seen operating in England and Wales, to be self-funded and at no cost to the taxpayer, which could offer improvements on the self-certification system, notwithstanding the submission to him by the National Consumers Association on the draft regulations in summer 2012 and the recommendations of the pyrite report. [15218/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

375. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will publish the 504 submissions in respect of his draft regulations under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, published in summer 2012; if he considers the number of submissions received noteworthy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15219/14]

Building Regulations Qualifications

Stephen Donnelly

384. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if changes in public sector construction contract forms had any impact on the decision to defer the implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 in respect of educational and hospital projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15343/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

385. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the consultation his Department undertook with stakeholders outside the construction sector regarding the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15344/14]

Pyrite Panel Report Implementation

Stephen Donnelly

386. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason he did not implement the pyrite report recommendations on the building regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15345/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

387. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has made any estimate of the number of self-build projects that may be delayed or abandoned due to the requirements imposed on self-builders in the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15346/14]

Building Regulations Compliance

Stephen Donnelly

388. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the RIAI has calculated that it will take an architect about 190 hours extra work to act as assigned certifier on domestic projects due to the requirements imposed on self-builders in the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014; if he agrees with this calculation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15347/14]

Ambulance Service Provision

Stephen Donnelly

197. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the number of ambulance service shifts dropped each month in the past 12 months for every ambulance base in the country; and the number of dropped shifts that were night shifts and the number that were day shifts. [14508/14]

Radio Spectrum Management

Stephen Donnelly

122. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the white space digital frequencies currently unused in the Irish spectrum; his plans to use this bandwidth, and if he will outline any analysis that his Department has undertaken as to the potential economic benefits of using these frequencies, or the potential for interference to legitimate primary and secondary radio spectrum users were such frequencies to be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14244/14]

Building Regulations Amendments

Stephen Donnelly

127. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale for deferring implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014; in respect of educational and hospital projects, if he will provide all data and analysis used to reach this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14231/14]