Parliamentary questions

Driver Test Centres

Éamon Ó Cuív

1174. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the provision that has been made for learner drivers of heavy goods vehicles and buses to do their driving tests in counties Galway, Mayo, and Clare; his proposals to ensure that such driver testing centres are within easy reach in all regions; the locations of all driver testing centres for such vehicles in these counties at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37777/15]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

1175. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a decision will be made on an appeal by an organisation (details supplied) regarding an application for funding under the sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37784/15]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Brendan Griffin

1176. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of an application by a club (details supplied) in County Kerry under the sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37793/15]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Brendan Griffin

1177. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of an application by a club (details supplied) in County Kerry under the sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37794/15]

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]

Cycling Policy

Ruairí Quinn

1180. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the large number of cyclists who use headphones while in transit, putting themselves and fellow road users at risk; if this practice is covered under the new fixed charge notices system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37880/15]

Public Transport Provision

Róisín Shortall

1181. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be provided to fund the provision of a bus rapid transit route along the Swords to Dublin city centre corridor, given the emphasis in the recently published Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016 to 2035 that such a service will be necessary in advance of the construction of the new metro north proposal. [37887/15]

Swimming Pool Programme Status

Joanna Tuffy

1182. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the value for money report on the local authority swimming pool programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37894/15]

Bus Éireann Services

Thomas P. Broughan

1183. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the percentage of the Bus Éireann fleet that was wheelchair accessible in 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38007/15]

Public Transport

Timmy Dooley

1184. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the basis on which the consultation on the draft transport strategy 2016 to 2035 for the greater Dublin area and the associated strategic environmental assessment and appropriate assessment has commenced; why there appears to be detailed technical documents relating to all areas except Dublin 15; the reason there is no technical report accompanying the strategy; the reason the only reference to Dublin 15 is in maps and in the orbital route material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38123/15]

Roadworthiness Testing

Michael Healy-Rae

1185. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will recognise that owners of vintage vehicles cannot, and should not, be asked to comply with the regulations which would apply to modern vehicles (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38126/15]

Public Transport

Joe Carey

1186. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 353 of 22 October 2015, his plans to introduce regulations for legislation on the carriage of passengers by rickshaws, trikes and other novelty vehicles; if he will indicate a time frame for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38147/15]

Sports Organisations

Seán Kenny

1187. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if all non-governmental sports bodies are accountable to Sports Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38193/15]

Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme

Róisín Shortall

1188. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to use the connectivity fund arising from the sale of Aer Lingus to compensate deferred Aer Lingus pensioners for the huge loss of income arising from forced changes to their pension scheme. [38246/15]

Taxi Regulations

Áine Collins

1189. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason applicants in isolated rural areas are finding it difficult to obtain a rural local area hackney licence; why the current system is not working; why the National Transport Authority is not currently issuing either ordinary taxi licences or hackney licences. [38305/15]

Road Safety

Michael McGrath

1190. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the Department or agency that takes responsibility for the hazard to motorists posed by wild deer; the recourse that is available to motorists in the event of an accident involving wild deer; the person/bodies that are responsible for investigating such incidents; the steps that are being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38309/15]

Departmental Staff Career Breaks

Finian McGrath

1191. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of civil servants under his remit who have been re-instated in recent years after taking a career break; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38734/15]

Commemorative Events

Ruth Coppinger

1192. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which the national Famine commemoration will take place in 2016. [37770/15]

Commemorative Events

Ruth Coppinger

1193. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on having the annual national Famine commemoration on the same day each year. [37771/15]

Heritage Projects

Sean Conlan

1194. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps that need to be taken by Monaghan County Council to obtain funding from her Department to enable restoration works to be carried out to the court house in Casteblayney and to ensure that the works are in compliance with the planning and development Acts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37893/15]

Census of Population Data

Joan Collins

1195. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way a person (details supplied) can access the 1926 census; and if it is possible to access one page only, under supervision. [37917/15]

Wildlife Regulations

Áine Collins

1196. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht why it is necessary to confine the period for bush burning to such a limited time span. [38333/15]

Wildlife Regulations

Denis Naughten

1197. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht which Government Department has overall responsibility for the entry into the State of invasive species, and the control of such species once found here; her views that this is a matter for the North-South Ministerial Council to ensure uniformity across the island of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38372/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

1198. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated expenditure of her Department in 2015, in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and her Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37256/15]

Departmental Budgets

Pearse Doherty

1199. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the allocation for her Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37272/15]

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]

Heritage Fund

Joe Carey

1201. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the grant assistance towards renovation and restoration available from her Department to owners of houses and homes that are listed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37382/15]

Údarás na Gaeltachta

Pearse Doherty

1202. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of jobs that were supported in the Dungloe area of County Donegal by Údarás Na Gaeltachta in each year from 2005 to 2014, and in 2015 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37586/15]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

1203. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for details of all subsidised passenger and cargo services to offshore islands, by island served; by frequency of the service in return journeys per week; by the number of passengers carried on each service; by the annual cost of each service, stating in each case whether it is a passenger service, a cargo service or a dual service, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37779/15]

Calafoirt agus Céanna

Éamon Ó Cuív

1204. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén fáth ar thug an tAire Stáit sa Roinn le fios i bhfreagra ar Cheist Dála Uimhir 118 an 14 Deireadh Fómhair nach raibh iarratas faighte aige ó phobal Inis Meáin ar chruinniú le ceist fhorbairt na Cé ag an gCaladh Mór a phlé nuair a bhí iarratas curtha chuige an 6 Lúnasa 2015 ar tugadh freagra air an 29 agus an 30 Meán Fómhair; an bhfuil sé i gceist aige anois géilleadh don iarratas seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [37785/15]

Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge

Éamon Ó Cuív

1205. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén méid airgid a íocadh faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge gach bliain ó 2009 i leith, briste síos de réir contae; cén líon scoláirí ar íocadh deontais ina leith, briste síos ar an mbealach céanna; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [37950/15]

Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Payments

Denis Naughten

1206. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a person (details supplied) will receive compensation under the turf cessation scheme for 2014 and 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37968/15]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

1207. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of days that the contracted passenger ferry services did not sail from each island to the mainland, by island, since January 2011; the dates of these instances, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38172/15]

Air Services Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

1208. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of days that the contracted air service did not fly to each of Oileáin Árann, by island, since January 2011; the dates of these instances, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38173/15]

Wildlife Regulations

Denis Naughten

1209. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for details of the assessment, if any, performed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the implications of the Asian clam infestation in the Lough Ree special protection area at Lanesborough in County Longford; the conclusions drawn from this assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38374/15]

Burial Grounds

Seán Kyne

1210. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the investigations concerning the possible use of lands within the Annaghdown Abbey complex for the expansion of the Annaghdown cemetery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38382/15]

Departmental Staff Career Breaks

Finian McGrath

1211. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of civil servants under her remit who have been reinstated in recent years after taking a career break; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38720/15]