Parliamentary questions

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach to report on his communication with the President of France, Mr. Francois Hollande, or with the ambassador of France to Ireland, His Excellency, Mr. Jean-Pierre Thébault following the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris, in France on 13 November 2015. [2804/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he had meetings with the Chancellor of Germany, Dr. Angela Merkel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2801/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

13. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach to report on meetings regarding the refugee crisis and Ireland's commitment to aid during the European Union Council in December 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2802/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

14. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach to report on the recent European Union Council meetings he attended. [2803/16]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when a Cabinet Committee on Justice Reform meeting was held last. [40213/15]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet committee on health took place. [31777/15]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visits to the United States of America, and his meetings with officials there. [32853/15]

Seanad Reform

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on proposals for the reform of Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40212/15]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet committee on Construction 2020, housing, planning and mortgage arrears took place. [31774/15]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. David Cameron. [31784/15]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin Mc Guinness, and the former acting First Minister, Ms Arlene Foster. [31785/15]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

29. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on any official meetings or contact he has had with the leader of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, Mr. Jeremy Corbyn. [40214/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. [31776/15]

EU Issues

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings of the European Council he attended. [31773/15]

EU Issues

Joe Higgins

11. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his discussions with other European Union heads of government on the refugee crisis. [31772/15]

Human Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

102. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the assistance provided to a person (details supplied) currently detained and awaiting trial in Egypt. [37200/15]

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Joe Higgins

108. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the United Nations' sustainable development goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36987/15]

Syrian Conflict

Joe Higgins

109. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on how the conflict in Syria can be ended. [36988/15]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

119. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent events in Palestine and Israel which have seen a number of civilians die in violent circumstances. [37732/15]

Human Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

123. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to raise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights internationally, in particular with states that criminalise sexual relations between persons of the same sex. [36990/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

125. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his discussions with his European Union counterparts regarding the need to assist refugees from the Middle East and Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36986/15]

International Terrorism

Joe Higgins

875. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the terror attacks in Turkey and the protest movement against these attacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36989/15]

Economic Management Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Economic Management Council Cabinet Committee took place. [31775/15]

Garda Operations

Joe Higgins

111. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there was an investigation within her Department regarding a surveillance programme within the Garda Síochána named Operation Mizen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35279/15]

Garda Expenditure

Joe Higgins

138. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will review the money spent on surveillance equipment and technology by An Garda Síochána. [35278/15]

UK Referendum on EU Membership

Joe Higgins

16. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, the proposed referendum on British membership of the European Union. [32852/15]

EU Investigations

Joe Higgins

276. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his views on reports (details supplied) that the Government intends to appeal the decision of the European Courts of Justice in relation to the low effective tax rate paid by the Apple corporation. [33288/15]

Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments

Joe Higgins

185. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 9 December 2014 regarding a review being under way in her Department on the enforcement of Labour Relations Commission awards for unpaid wages in the event that a former employee's company had ceased trading but had not been liquidated, the way such workers can have their successful claims enforced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28446/15]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Atheist Ireland. [12748/15]

Diplomatic Representation

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he held with business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland in January 2015. [5468/15]

Diplomatic Representation

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he held with political leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland in January 2015. [5469/15]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Construction 2020, housing, planning and mortgage arrears last met. [5466/15]

Cabinet Committees

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice reform last met. [5467/15]

Overseas Visits

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, on 11 January 2015. [2207/15]

Overseas Visits

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on any meetings he had with Heads of Government of the European Union, in France in January 2015. [2208/15]

Overseas Visits

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on any meetings he had with the President of France, Mr. François Hollande, in France in January 2015. [2209/15]

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Joe Higgins

14. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach his views on the continuation of the Constitutional Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5465/15]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on health last met. [3366/15]

Irish Language

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on Irish and the Gaeltacht last met. [3367/15]

Job Creation Data

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on job creation in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5470/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

18. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings and discussions he had at the European Council meeting in December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3365/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

43. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has met the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Alexis Tsipras; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8838/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

44. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his discussions with the President of the European Central Bank, Mr. Mario Draghi; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8839/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

69. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if the human rights situation in Egypt was discussed at any of the European Council meetings since December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15230/15]

Commissions of Investigation

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when his Department expects the final report of the Fennelly commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12747/15]

Irish Prisoners Abroad

Joe Higgins

217. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he requested the European Council at its meeting in December 2014 to make representations to the Egyptian Government for the release of an Irish citizen (details supplied) who has been designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. [15231/15]

Forbairt na nOileán

Joe Higgins

916. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Joe Higgins den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cad iad na pleananna atá aici don fhorbairt gheilleagrach agus chun poist a chruthú ar Chléire, Contae Chorcaí; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [14244/15]

Economic Management Council

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach his views on the continuation of the Economic Management Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5464/15]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when a meeting of the Cabinet committee on social policy was last held. [3363/15]

International Summits

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the Asia-Europe meeting, in Milan, Italy, in October 2014. [44903/14]

International Summits

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he had with other Heads of State and Government during the recent Asia-Europe meeting summit. [44904/14]

Scoileanna Gaeltachta

Joe Higgins

822. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Joe Higgins den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna maidir le Scoil Naomh Eoin Baiste, Lios Póil, Contae Chiarraí, an dtabharfaidh sí dearbhú nach gcaillfear an ceathrú múinteoir ón scoil, ó tharla go raibh 80 dalta cláraithe don scoilbhliain 2014/15 - sin triúr níos lú ná an uimhir choinneála do cheathrar- ag tógáint san áireamh go mbeidh 93 dhalta cláraithe don scoilbhliain 2015/16 agus 101 don bhliain 2016/17". [12043/15]

Irish Water Establishment

Joe Higgins

22. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the commitment in the programme for Government regarding the Irish Water networks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3364/15]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on economic infrastructure and climate change last met. [3368/15]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom regarding Northern Ireland. [43820/14]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and other political leaders in Northern Ireland. [43821/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the ambassador of the United States of America to Ireland. [43819/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to New York and the economic events designed to increase jobs and investment here. [44902/14]

Social Partnership Meetings

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent meetings he has had with social partners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41692/14]

Energy Policy

Joe Higgins

592. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the review of energy options for the State with the inclusion of nuclear power. [4383/15]

Renewable Energy Generation

Joe Higgins

593. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the Pathways to Power report January 2015 compiled by the WWF and international marine consultants DNV GL on a fully renewable energy system in Scotland by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4384/15]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach his views on the implementation of the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43818/14]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has had meetings recently with religious leaders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41693/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the process in place in his Department for appointments to the boards of State agencies and organisations. [43817/14]

Water Meters Installation

Joe Higgins

275. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of reports that the Health and Safety Authority have received to date from members of the public of incidents arising from building contractors installing or attempting to install water meters in residential areas on behalf of Irish Water; the number of occasions the Health and Safety Authority has conducted investigations of such incidents; the number of times work stations have been closed down even on a temporary basis; and the number of findings that have been made against contractors installing water meters for unsafe work practices. [1704/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent European Council discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41697/14]

Economic Management Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last Economic Management Council took place. [41694/14]

Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments

Joe Higgins

204. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the recourse available for persons (details supplied) to have their successful claim for unpaid wages against their former employer enforced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46853/14]

Pension Provisions

Joe Higgins

165. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the non-compliance with circular 0025/2008 relating to the pensions of part-time employees in the institutes of technology and education and training boards and the issuing of circular 0062/2014; the organisations that did not comply with circular 0025/2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46554/14]

Technological Universities

Joe Higgins

166. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the decision of Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology not to participate in the proposed new technological university with other institutes of technology in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46555/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet committee on European affairs was held and when the next one is scheduled. [35726/14]

Water Charges Introduction

Joe Higgins

98. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any research by his Department on the prospects of future water poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41681/14]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joe Higgins

149. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 to ensure the person receives back to education allowance or other assistance to continue in education and training. [45835/14]

Proposed Legislation

Joe Higgins

303. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will introduce legislation to make the purchasing of prostitution an offence; the steps she will take to provide help and assistance to prostitutes seeking to leave prostitution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45772/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change and the green economy was held and for when is the next one scheduled. [35188/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the United Nations summit on climate change in September. [36526/14]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Joe Higgins

98. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will include the Westbank Orphanage in Greystones, County Wicklow, in the inquiry into the mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44416/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on mortgage arrears and credit availability was held; and when the next one is scheduled. [35185/14]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of JobBridge participants who have worked in his Department. [43816/14]

Cabinet Committee Discussions

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs was held and when the next one is scheduled to take place. [35186/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet sub-committee meetings that were held in July, August and September 2014. [35180/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on justice reform was held and when the next one is scheduled. [35182/14]

Health Services Staff Data

Joe Higgins

121. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 9 October 2014 the number and percentage of the 13,743 Health Service Executive staff on fixed-term or specified-purpose contracts as of August 2014 who were employed through employment agencies; if he will provide details of the fees, total amount and average percentage of employee salary paid to agencies in this respect; and if he will provide the same information for any additional agency staff working in the HSE not included in those figures. [42790/14]

General Practitioner Services

Joe Higgins

131. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will report on his discussions on the extension of free general practitioner visits to those under six years of age and over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42789/14]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reduce the level of temporary staffing across the public sector by converting such posts to permanent contracts. [42069/14]

Croke Park Agreement Issues

Joe Higgins

17. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reverse the pay cuts for lower-paid public servants as promised under the Croke Park agreement. [42068/14]

Tax Code

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons that will benefit from the changes to the special assignee relief programme, including the scrapping of the ceiling of €500,000, the reduction in the amount of time for which a person must have been employed by a company, and the withdrawal of the requirement not to be tax-resident in another country; and the cost to the Exchequer of these changes. [41749/14]

Tax Relief Costs

Joe Higgins

22. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the estimated annual cost of the extension in budget 2015 of tax breaks for leasing agricultural land; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons and the number of companies benefitting from these tax breaks each year since they were introduced; the benefit per person and per company; and if any analysis has been carried out of the income distributional effects of existing and future tax breaks for the leasing of agricultural land. [41750/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the Lebanese Prime Minister and other local officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26762/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the Middle East. [26763/14]

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the referenda scheduled for the period ahead. [35179/14]

Water Charges Administration

Joe Higgins

102. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the implementation of the €100 allowance for Irish Water bills through the household benefits package. [41680/14]

Household Benefits Scheme

Joe Higgins

127. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the impact of possible future water poverty on the social protection budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41681/14]

Water Supply Contamination

Joe Higgins

397. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department intervened with local authorities or other organisations to secure fresh water supplies for a company (details supplied) to deal with an acute outbreak of disease in its salmon in south Connemara; and if his Department lobbied any organisation for favourable terms for the delivery of such fresh water. [41039/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Joe Higgins

596. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health his views on the provision of medical treatment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and his further views on the waiting lists at the hospital. [41032/14]

Home Care Packages

Joe Higgins

632. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding for home care in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [41227/14]

Rare Diseases

Joe Higgins

633. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the research the State is funding and-or collaborating with other states into Gaucher's disease; and if he will report on research the State funds into other rare genetic conditions. [41228/14]

Rare Diseases

Joe Higgins

634. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to enable screening of Gaucher's disease and other rare genetic conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41229/14]

Palliative Care for Children

Joe Higgins

635. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to increase the number of palliative care units for children; if he will report on the assistance the State gives to Laura Lynn hospice in Leopardstown, Dublin 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41230/14]

Irish Water Administration

Joe Higgins

1026. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of Irish Water application packs that were returned to sender; if Irish Water has identified the number due to incorrect names, addresses or other information; if Irish Water has destroyed returned post that was marked return to sender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41555/14]