Parliamentary questions

Human Rights

Thomas Pringle

45. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recently published report by an organisation (details supplied) and its statement that the rule of law should respect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly; his further views on the report in the context of Catalan political prisoners and their rights on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly following on from the Catalan independent referendum in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52869/19]

Services for People with Disabilities

Thomas Pringle

450. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the level of accreditation a trainer must offer to participants in disability awareness training in order for the client to avail of the 90% grant available from her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53653/19]

Defence Forces Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

70. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider the proposal to increase the defence budget of the EU in the coming years as mentioned at the recent NATO summit; his views on the proposal that Europe needs to contribute more to NATO defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52906/19]

European Defence Capabilities

Thomas Pringle

74. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the expenditure to date on the European Defence Fund by Ireland; the status of the integration into the European Defence Fund by Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52907/19]

Permanent Structured Co-operation

Thomas Pringle

87. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the integration of Ireland into PESCO in view of the upcoming second anniversary of the participation of Ireland in same; the level of engagement and lobbying his Department has received from European arms manufacturers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52870/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff Data

Thomas Pringle

163. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for SNA access made for County Donegal to the NCSE during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52575/19]

Special Educational Needs Staff Data

Thomas Pringle

164. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for SNA access made since the May 2019 allocation of SNA posts for County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52576/19]

National Positive Ageing Strategy Implementation

Thomas Pringle

207. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps taken to implement the national positive ageing strategy in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53071/19]

Health Services Provision

Thomas Pringle

390. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve the diagnosis, management and treatment of endometriosis here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52877/19]

Childcare Services Regulation

Thomas Pringle

661. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the draft childminding action plan public consultation was advertised; the reason the public consultation process only ran for six weeks; if her attention has been drawn to a large number of parents who were unaware of the public consultation and have concerns regarding the drafting of regulations including the crèche-based model at the centre of proposals and the overall lack of engagement with childminders in the sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53069/19]

Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

748. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the annual rent which will be paid in the first year for a development (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52894/19]

Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

749. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on the current market rental rate for a development (details supplied); the rate he views as acceptable; the way in which the figures were arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52895/19]

Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

750. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the process by which a development (details supplied) was leased under the enhanced long-term social housing leasing scheme; and the role played by a company. [52896/19]

Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

751. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the financial modelling used in relation to the leasing of a development (details supplied); the projected range of overall costs that will be borne by his Department over the course of the 25 year lease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52897/19]

Housing Provision

Thomas Pringle

752. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the research carried out into the relative cost of leasing a development (details supplied) under the enhanced long-term social housing scheme as compared to the cost of building public housing on public land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52898/19]

Schools Data

Thomas Pringle

106. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools in existence for 20 years or longer that are still housed in prefab buildings with no permanent building structures, by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52485/19]

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Thomas Pringle

119. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a regulatory impact assessment was conducted for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014; and if so, the detail of same. [52446/19]

Environmental Policy

Thomas Pringle

301. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to revise the corporate governance framework in view of the fact the current framework does not explicitly commit his Department to engagement with environmental interests and stakeholders in comparison with extensive provision for economic interests and other internal and external stakeholders; his views on whether environmental sustainability requires the inclusion and participation of environmental interests at each stage of the policy process; and his plans to ensure environmental interests and appropriate environmental expertise will be reflected in each policy process, board, conference and working group that falls under his remit. [52478/19]

EU Directives

Thomas Pringle

307. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the official or group in his Department responsible for calculating and reporting the obligations of Ireland under the land use, land use change and forestry, LULUCF, regulation, that is, EU Regulation 2018/841; if Ireland will be a net emitter over the period the regulation covers; and the implications of this information for the obligations of Ireland under the effort-sharing regulation and targets for 2030 if the LULUCF flexibilities cannot be used. [52477/19]

Renewable Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

308. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he plans to require the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to facilitate private wires between renewable energy generators and energy consumers. [52480/19]

Renewable Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

309. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the rationale for limiting the RESS auction category for solar energy to a maximum of 10% (details supplied). [52481/19]

Planning Issues

Thomas Pringle

365. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he plans to remove the planning restrictions on roof-top solar for households and businesses. [52479/19]

Constitutional Amendments

Thomas Pringle

46. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he will take to progress the Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Water in Public Ownership) (No.1) Bill 2016 seeking to place the right to water in the Constitution; the reason for the delay to date in moving forward with the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51222/19]

Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation

Thomas Pringle

61. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the implementation of the mica redress scheme for affected homeowners in County Donegal; the progress made to date with regard to the implementation arrangements with Donegal County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51221/19]

Domestic Violence Services Funding

Thomas Pringle

72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will meet an organisation (details supplied) in County Donegal; her views on whether Ireland is compliant with the Istanbul convention, which was ratified in March 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51149/19]

Family Support Services

Thomas Pringle

86. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to fill the gap in provision of family services left by the recently announced closure of a service (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51150/19]

Immigration Status

Thomas Pringle

242. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which he plans to address undocumented children here; his plans to introduce pathways to residency for children and young persons growing up undocumented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51192/19]

Immigration Status

Thomas Pringle

248. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which he plans to address undocumented children here; his plans to introduce pathways to residency for children and young persons growing up here undocumented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51257/19]

Community Services Programme

Thomas Pringle

579. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the review of the community social programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51255/19]

Local Authority Housing Funding

Thomas Pringle

661. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of applications made each year to date under the buy and renew scheme in County Donegal; the number of successful applications to date; the number of properties in County Donegal secured under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51231/19]

Departmental Legal Cases

Thomas Pringle

688. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the counsel of her Department has ceased agreeing to the series of adjournments made in the case of a review (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51220/19]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Thomas Pringle

406. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will issue on a carer's allowance application by person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51007/19]

DEIS Administration

Thomas Pringle

121. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there was no corresponding reduction made in the pupil-teacher ratio in DEIS band one schools in view of the fact that staffing schedules in schools were reduced in budgets 2016 and 2018 and again for small schools in budget 2020; if he has responded to DEIS teachers in County Donegal calling for a reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50586/19]

Data Protection

Thomas Pringle

561. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the assurances that can be given to those jobseekers' assigned to a UK company (details supplied) which stores private data in its head office in Hoxley, UK, that their personal data is fully protected; the way in which persons can be assured that this will be the case post-Brexit in view of the fact this private data will fall outside the protection of EU or Irish law; and the measures that have been put in place to ensure same. [49781/19]

Planning Guidelines

Thomas Pringle

608. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government when he will implement the recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action to revise the planning regulations to remove planning restrictions on solar PV panels in order to enable increased microgeneration capacity at household, farm and small enterprise levels. [49808/19]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Thomas Pringle

193. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he plans to implement to reward farmers for farming carbon on blanket bogs or peaty soils under grassland in private ownership in the near future in order that Ireland can avail of land, land-use change, and forestry flexibilities from 2021 in view of the annual carbon losses from peatlands which in total amount to more emissions than from the entire transport sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49603/19]

Energy Policy Review

Thomas Pringle

202. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the scope and terms of reference of the proposed energy security review; the way in which this will be carried out; the person or body which will carry out the review; the timeline for same; if the review will consider questions of intergenerational and global climate justice; the way in which he will ensure that no conflict of interest ensues between stakeholders, regulators and policy makers in determining the energy interests of Ireland in the context of the climate emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49604/19]

Local Authority Housing

Thomas Pringle

268. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the €25million funding allocated for the upgrading of the energy efficiency of local authority homes in 2019 can be used for window and door upgrades taking into account windows lose approximately 25% of heat; if his plan is in line with proposals in the climate action plan 2019 and the obligations of Ireland under the EU energy efficiency directive; his views on whether a local authority reply (details supplied) is correct in its interpretation of the recent funding allocated by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49609/19]

Organic Farming Scheme Data

Thomas Pringle

41. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay of a year to get back to applicants for the organic farming scheme under tranche 2 if only 175 farmers applied; the number of applicants who were successful overall and in County Donegal, respectively; the amount of funding provided for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49078/19]

Organic Farming Scheme Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

58. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the various changes made to the minimum qualifying score for admittance into the organic farming scheme; the minimum qualifying score; the reason for the changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49079/19]

Fish Quotas

Thomas Pringle

62. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which north west scientific quota for herring impacts on the Lough Foyle herring fishery; his view on whether it should be managed separately; if vessels and skippers have to show tract record specifically on that fishery in order to have received a quota allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49081/19]

Fish Quotas

Thomas Pringle

72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to integrate the protection of island fisheries in quota allocation under the Common Fisheries Policy as recognised by the EU Commission as a distinct sector but not here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49082/19]

Climate Action Plan

Thomas Pringle

176. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the initiatives to support paludiculture which will be financed under the climate action plan 2019. [49422/19]

Forestry Management

Thomas Pringle

197. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated area of peaty soils under the ownership of Coillte that has been converted to forestry; the estimated net carbon losses as a result of the practice; the remedial measures proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49426/19]

Energy Policy Review

Thomas Pringle

237. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the State agencies that have a statutory or regulatory function regarding energy security; the agencies and bodies that have an advisory role on energy security; the way in which he will ensure that the regulatory aspects of energy security are not captured by stakeholder bodies such as the ESB and a company (details supplied) that may have strategic commercial interests at stake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49420/19]

Climate Change Adaptation Plans

Thomas Pringle

238. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which his Department will ensure that there is no double counting of carbon sequestered under land use, land use change, forestry via afforestation, peatland restoration and rehabilitation and other projects that are planned to generate carbon credits by Bord na Móna, Coillte and other landowners; the methodologies for carbon sequestration on State lands which will be utilised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49421/19]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Thomas Pringle

299. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures proposed to protect blanket bogs under the land use, land-use change and forestry. [49423/19]

National Raised Bog Management Plan

Thomas Pringle

300. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the breakdown of the budget 2020 measures for bog restoration and rehabilitation to be funded under just transition; the role her Department plays in co-financing research and EU LIFE projects in the region; and the way in which she intends to engage with academic research in the activity in order to scale up projects to avoid further carbon losses after 2021. [49424/19]

National Raised Bog Management Plan

Thomas Pringle

304. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the bog restoration and rehabilitation measures that will be funded through the NPWS; the estimated cost of availing of the land use, land-use change and forestry flexibilities as they relate to peatlands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49425/19]

EU Budget Contribution

Thomas Pringle

144. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that on 10 October 2019 the European Parliament voted for a motion for a resolution to wind up the debate on the statements by the Council and the Commission on the MFF 2021-2027, a resolution which reiterated the fact that the next MFF should represent 1.3% of the EU GNI; the amount of a net increase this would amount to annually in the case of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48565/19]