Parliamentary questions

Education and Training Boards Staff

Charlie McConalogue

859. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of adult education officers and adult guidance counsellors employed by each ETB; the number of additional such officers allocated to each ETB since the ETB sector assumed responsibility for FET; if she is satisfied that such allocations are sufficient to properly and effectively allow ETBs to carry out their statutory remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1700/15]

Site Acquisitions

Timmy Dooley

860. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expected completion date for the transfer of lands in respect of a proposed new school (detail supplied) in County Clare; the reasons for the delay in completing the legal process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1701/15]

Gaelscoil Issues

Peadar Tóibín

861. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the limiting of the numbers of Gaelscoileanna around the State by patrons who seek to defend numbers at competitor schools (details supplied) within their responsibility. [1705/15]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Pearse Doherty

862. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way a person who did not finish their electrical apprenticeship, but who has been working and practising with different electrical companies may become accredited; if it is necessary to go back to college; the avenues open to such a person outside of returning to college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1707/15]

School Transport Eligibility

Timmy Dooley

863. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the granting of permanent status to a school (details supplied) in County Clare, if she will now sanction transport for students in the Ennis catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1720/15]

EU Directives

Brendan Smith

864. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form the number of EU directives which remain to be implemented within her Department; the names of these directives; the timeframe for the implementation of the directives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1791/15]

Legislative Programme

Micheál Martin

865. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [1812/15]

Legislative Programme

Micheál Martin

866. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department since September 2013. [1827/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Barry Cowen

867. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondments from her Department to external private firms in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1842/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Barry Cowen

868. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondments based in her Department from external private firms in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1856/15]

Departmental Staff

Barry Cowen

869. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has a policy regarding secondments from and within her Department to external firms; when the policy was initiated and last updated; the details of the policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1870/15]

Leader Programmes Administration

Dara Calleary

870. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the person or body responsible for the delivery of Leader grant schemes in Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49477/14]

Motor Tax Collection

Tom Fleming

871. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Kerry County Council is no longer accepting cheques as a means of payment for road tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49544/14]

Motor Tax Yield

Paul Murphy

872. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total receipts collected for motor tax in 2013. [49644/14]

Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Exemptions

Sean Fleming

873. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a house owned by a company which is used periodically by its employees to stay in overnight while working on contracts away from home is considered a second home and subject to the non-principal private residence tax, or where such a property is included as an asset of a limited company in its balance sheet, if it is excluded from the charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49727/14]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Data

Peadar Tóibín

874. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the annual number of persons in County Meath who have moved from rent supplement to the rental accommodation scheme from 2010 to date in 2015. [49749/14]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Data

Peadar Tóibín

875. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the number of persons in County Meath who have moved from rent supplement to local authority housing from 2010 to date in 2015. [49750/14]

Tribunals of Inquiry Expenditure

Michael Healy-Rae

876. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the implications for the taxpayer following on from the recent Redmond High Court judgment; his views on the amount the final bill will be in view of the fact that the Mahon tribunal has written to parties named in its report informing them that adverse findings against them have been withdrawn with immediate effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1050/15]

Thatching Grants Expenditure

Jack Wall

877. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications made to his Department for thatching grants in each of the past three years; the amount drawn down; if there is funding available for such grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1171/15]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Ciaran Lynch

878. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress to date regarding the sale of flats to local authority tenants; if details of the transfer orders and charging orders have been prescribed to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1494/15]

Motor Tax Yield

Michael McGrath

879. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount in motor tax raised from motorists in 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1736/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Jim Daly

880. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason no progress has been made since a person (details supplied) in County Cork was approved for the rural cottages scheme in 2007, when the local authority transferred a person's dwelling to its ownership on the basis the authority would construct a new dwelling on site for the applicant; the reason no construction has taken place and no place of residence has been offered to the resident with no home as it was transferred to the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49472/14]

Local and Community Development Programme

Joe Costello

881. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will establish a north inner city partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49481/14]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Peter Fitzpatrick

882. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that the new policy on wind farm turbines (details supplied) will have no impact on the Rockmarshall Mountains in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49487/14]

Seniors Alert Scheme

Michael McCarthy

883. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the seniors alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49490/14]

Local Authority Staff

Billy Kelleher

884. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will sanction the provision of a school warden in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49509/14]

Waste Disposal

Michelle Mulherin

885. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the option in legislation of the payment of waste collection for non-domestic and commercial waste disposal by bin lift, which is more environmentally friendly as it encourages recycling and the compression of recyclable material and needs fewer journeys by waste collection vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49568/14]

Motor Tax Collection

Clare Daly

886. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he will take to close the loophole whereby a person with an untaxed motor vehicle which is not declared off the road can transfer ownership to another person and escape the financial liability for the period of non-declaration. [49593/14]

Public Service Obligation Levy Application

Clare Daly

887. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if water services charges will be subject to the public service obligation, similar to ESB and gas. [49611/14]

Local Government Reform

Eric J. Byrne

888. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for community fora (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49631/14]

Water Charges Exemptions

Billy Kelleher

889. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding Irish Water charges, if there are any allowances to be made for small farmers who are nearly solely dependent on farm assist for their weekly income in relation to the rates that will be imposed on them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49632/14]

Property Tax Data

Billy Kelleher

890. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding the non-principal private residency penalties that were increased a number of months ago and the public assurances of leniency the waivers-reductions that have been awarded to homeowners since; the reduction rate; if this varied by county; the number of cases that are still pending a decision on their appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49636/14]

Rent Controls

Finian McGrath

891. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding renting; if the National Asset Management Agency is currently in the housing rental sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49639/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Terence Flanagan

892. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding vacant properties (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49642/14]

Water Services Funding

Joan Collins

893. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding historic funding to local authorities for water services; the amount of money that was allocated on an annual basis to local authorities from 2001 to 2013, inclusive; the way this money was sourced; and the way it was it allocated to local authorities. [49667/14]

Departmental Schemes

Billy Kelleher

894. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current status of the SSNO review that he instigated in July; if all of the charities that were affected by the cut in funding have been contacted as part of this review; the names of those that have yet to be contacted; when the review will be published; if there is a mechanism to continue funding next year in the event of the review not being completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49686/14]

Departmental Bodies

Barry Cowen

895. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if his Department minute meetings between Department officials and semi-State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49729/14]

Departmental Bodies

Barry Cowen

896. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the protocol that exists to take minutes or notes of meetings held within his Department; the protocol that exists to take minutes or notes of meetings held with representatives from semi-State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49730/14]

Departmental Bodies

Barry Cowen

897. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the protocol that exists to take minutes or notes of meetings held with him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49731/14]

Water Meters

Barry Cowen

898. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the reason his Department proceeded with plans for water metering when advised against taking this course of action by Bord Gáis Éireann; if his Department received further advice on the use of water meters; from whom his Department received this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49732/14]

Water Meters

Barry Cowen

899. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if his Department will publish the minutes of all meetings between Bord Gáis Éireann and officials from his Department with regard to the decision to introduce water metering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49733/14]

Water Meters

Barry Cowen

900. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if an investigation will take place to establish the reason minutes were not taken at meetings between him and senior representatives from Bord Gáis Éireann when the issue of water meters was being discussed; if this is accepted practice in his Department; if it was agreed not to take minutes at these meetings; the action that will be as a result of this revelation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49734/14]

Local Authority Housing

Peadar Tóibín

901. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide the number of persons in County Meath who have made applications for local authority housing since 2010. [49752/14]

Local Authority Housing

Peadar Tóibín

902. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide the percentage of persons who have come off the housing list in County Meath in the past four years due to meeting their need through resources of their own from the overall County Meath housing list. [49753/14]

Local Authority Housing

Peadar Tóibín

903. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide the number of local authority units that have been allocated to first time tenants in County Meath in the past five years. [49754/14]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Data

Peadar Tóibín

904. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the annual number of persons approved for the rental accommodation scheme in County Meath since the scheme began. [49755/14]

Departmental Bodies

Patrick O'Donovan

905. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within, funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1013/15]

Decentralisation Programme Data

Patrick O'Donovan

906. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the agencies or sections from his Department that were decentralised during the period 1997 to 2011, inclusive; the travel costs and expenses incurred by decentralised personnel travelling to their base Department in that period. [1028/15]

Water Charges Administration

Clare Daly

907. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will deal with complaints and queries of persons who have not registered; if the first fix proposal will apply to residents who have not registered. [1064/15]

Water Meters Installation

Clare Daly

908. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of water meters that have been installed to date; and the percentage of meters that have been installed as against the target. [1066/15]