Parliamentary questions

European External Action Service

Andrew Doyle

66. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent publication of Review 2013 by the European External Action Service, EEAS, two years after the creation of the body, discussing a range of short, medium and longer term proposals and suggestions for the organisation and functioning of the European Union's diplomatic corps; his views on whether the direction of its being more than a foreign ministry, combining elements of a development and defence ministry is the correct approach for a twenty-first century Europe; if he will outline Ireland's current deployment to the EEAS and detail Ireland's contribution over the first two years of existence of the EEAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41060/13]

Public Transport Issues

Andrew Doyle

81. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he believes commuters and regional areas in the commuter belt and greater Dublin area will benefit as a result of the tendering out of particular routes and public service obligation, PSO, routes when the current contract expires; if the next tendering phase will result in a transparent decision making process; if he will outline the ramifications for particular routes in County Wicklow (details supplied) as a result of the competition in public transport in the bus market as proposed by the National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40790/13]

Air Services Provision

Andrew Doyle

142. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no current direct flight exists between Ireland and the Silicon Valley or San Francisco areas in California; if he believes such a direct air link would provide an employment boost to the Irish economy in terms of foreign direct investment given that Silicon Valley is a central hub for worldwide technology companies; the discussions he and his departmental officials have held with multinational employers or airlines on this matter in the past two years; if he believes such a route would be hugely beneficial for Ireland given the pre-clearance for US customs and immigration at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33283/13]

Private Schools

Andrew Doyle

226. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding his Department has allocated or committed to paying off the debts of a college (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, including outstanding loans, the move from a 21:1 to 23:1 teacher ratio and the college's switch from a private to public school; if he will outline any other expenditure incurred by his Department as result of this switch between 2012 and into the 2013-14 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40449/13]

Petroleum and Gas Exploration

Andrew Doyle

433. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will discuss the expert advice on offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production and their tax and fiscal terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40797/13]

Vehicle Registration Issues

Andrew Doyle

487. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a log book may be released to An Garda Síochána for a vehicle (details supplied) in County Wicklow for its inspection in order to pay road tax at the large public service vehicle rate, in view of the fact that the vehicle registration tax has been paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41124/13]

Medical Card Reviews

Andrew Doyle

586. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card keeps being reviewed for a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; when the current medical card is due to expire; if his attention has been drawn to the significant administrative burden that is placed on a person every time a review takes place and a person has to submit documentation; if the medical card may be secured until the person's son turns 18 years and completes his secondary education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40591/13]

Employment Support Services

Andrew Doyle

131. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the establishment of an Intreo office in Bray, County Wicklow, due to be operational in late 2013; the services that will be available at the office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40178/13]

Social Insurance Issues

Andrew Doyle

133. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a detailed explanation regarding credits for past periods of employment for the benefit of receiving social welfare; the lapse periods that are currently in operation and the reason they exist; if a person is permitted to buy back their credits; if she will provide a detailed outline of all the rules in place; when each of the rules currently in place came into effect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40216/13]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Andrew Doyle

167. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the recent and future investments in the Dunlavin sewerage scheme as part of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40148/13]

Road Signage

Andrew Doyle

172. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1692 on 18 September 2013, if there is legislation regarding signs and signage based on lands adjacent to different categories of roads throughout Ireland, in view of his Department's responsibility for such under the Planning and Development Act 2013 as amended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40193/13]

EU Meetings

Andrew Doyle

228. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the parameters of the discussions held with Ministerial colleagues at the Meeting of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries, AGRI-FISH, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 23 September 2013; if he will detail any agreement reached; if he will provide an update in matters discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40329/13]

Garda Recruitment

Andrew Doyle

40. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if priority or recognition will be given to current and serving reserve members of An Garda Síochána during the upcoming recruitment process for full time members during the upcoming Public Appointments Service competition; if the upcoming recruitment for entry in mid-2014 will contain a good mix between current reserve members of the force and ordinary members of the public; his views on whether there will be significant benefits to giving priority to existing members of the voluntary Garda Reserve in view of the fact that there are over 1,200 currently serving of whom many would be in a position to become full-time members of the force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39816/13]

Dáil Reform

Andrew Doyle

108. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on a possible referendum to provide constitutional status to the committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas, as committed to in the programme for Government; when he expects such a Bill to come before the Oireachtas before being put before the people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37407/13]

Statutory Instruments

Andrew Doyle

109. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach the measures taken to ensure all that statutory instruments are placed on the Irish Statute Book website in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37420/13]

Departmental Functions

Andrew Doyle

128. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach if he will discuss the re-configuration of the EU affairs and co-ordination division of his Department, in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in view of the conclusion of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39119/13]

Departmental Websites

Andrew Doyle

131. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach if he will outline in tabular form, each Internet domain that his Department or body under the aegis of his Department has registered online, from 2010 onwards in either .ie or other format since his Department first established an online presence; the date on which each domain was initially registered and for what intended purpose; the amount each domain and associated hosting has cost on a yearly basis from when each domain was first registered; the date on which each domain is expiring; if he intends to renew each domain when it comes up for renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39127/13]

International Economic Co-operation

Andrew Doyle

139. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach if he will provide the main findings in the recent report on wider Irish and UK plans for closer economic co-operation in the fields of energy, agri-business, finance and research and development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36960/13]

Departmental Agencies Staff Recruitment

Andrew Doyle

144. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Taoiseach the steps he intends to take to ensure semi-State bodies and other organisations and bodies under the remit of his Department advertise vacant positions through the Public Appointments Service and publicjobs.ie that is in a clear and transparent manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39288/13]

EU Meetings

Andrew Doyle

368. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the parameters of the discussions held with EU ministerial colleagues at the Informal Energy Council in Vilnius, Lithuania on 19 and 20 September 2013; the agreements reached; if he will provide an update on matters discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39292/13]