Parliamentary questions

National Drugs Strategy Implementation

Andrew Doyle

423. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health the process for the implementation of the national drugs strategy beyond September 2016; if the new strategy will include alcohol prevention measures as part of the overall strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25959/15]

Waterways Issues

Andrew Doyle

246. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding will be made available for the urgent repair of the weir on the Vartry river in Ashford, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25546/15]

Planning Issues

Andrew Doyle

516. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the issue of the refusal of a planning application by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for an access road for a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24486/15]

Driver Licence Renewals

Andrew Doyle

1176. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the procedures the Road Safety Authority has in place to enable Irish driver licence holders who are outside the State to renew or replace their driver licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21996/15]

School Accommodation Provision

Andrew Doyle

149. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has discussed with officials in her Department a request in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow for the purposes of providing extra space to accommodate the growing enrolment numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21080/15]

Court Accommodation Refurbishment

Andrew Doyle

103. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will prioritise the refurbishment of the courthouse in Wicklow town as a capital project, in line with the stated policy of the Courts Service; if she will provide a definitive time frame in terms of when this refurbishment work will be undertaken; if she will further provide an outline of the extent of the refurbishment plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20958/15]

Central Bank of Ireland

Andrew Doyle

307. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance in view of section 19 of the Central Bank Act 1942, if he will provide details of the selection process which will be undertaken to determine the recommendation to the President for the appointment of the 11th Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland; his plans to ensure that a transparent selection process will be undertaken, in view of the publicly accountable nature of the position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20726/15]

Film Industry Development

Andrew Doyle

1052. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on progress pertaining to action 152 under the Action Plan for Jobs to establish an expert group to examine and report on recommendations to increase foreign and domestic investment in Ireland’s film and television sound stage studio infrastructure, in the face of growing demand for audio-visual content across multiple platforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20099/15]

Garda Vetting Applications

Andrew Doyle

254. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an outline of the Garda vetting procedure for voluntary associations; if a change has recently taken place in this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19711/15]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

270. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the process for reassessment of applicants for the purposes of inter-country adoption whose declaration of eligibility and suitability has expired; if he will provide an outline of the timeframe, from application to completion, of this reassessment process; and if he will indicate whether priority is provided to applicants for reassessment as opposed to first-time applicants. [19709/15]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

271. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of declarations of eligibility and suitability for the purposes of inter-country adoption that have been issued since the passing of the Adoption Act 2010; the number of these applicants who have completed an adoption; the number who have had to do a reassessment due to their declaration expiring; and the number who have discontinued in the process or failed to renew their declaration of eligibility and suitability. [19710/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Andrew Doyle

157. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will be providing powered wheelchairs in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Wicklow who have mobility disabilities. [18989/15]

Language Schools Closures

Andrew Doyle

174. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that will be put in place to support students who have lost out substantially on the recent language school closures; the further measures that will be put in place to support teachers who have lost salaries; the implementation process, going forward, to regulate this sector, in order not to damage Ireland's reputation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18726/15]

Tuberculosis Incidence

Andrew Doyle

85. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of tuberculosis outbreaks in County Wicklow since 1985, broken down by district electoral division and in five-year intervals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17977/15]

Tax Code

Andrew Doyle

67. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if a European Union national returning to Lithuania, having worked in Ireland for ten years, is entitled to a refund of all tax and universal social charge paid in that period, or if a person is entitled to a part refund of tax paid while residing here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17072/15]

Postal Services

Andrew Doyle

78. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in view of her Department's initiatives to transfer funds electronically directly into personal accounts for persons in receipt of social welfare payments and contributions, the way it is intended to structure this payment process, considering the Government's commitment to post offices nationally; if it is intended that such payments will continue to be processed through the post office network; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14431/15]

Schools Establishment

Andrew Doyle

697. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that the Educate Together primary schools in Wicklow and Greystones in County Wicklow, form part of the new catchment area for the new north Wicklow Educate Together secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14081/15]

Broadband Service Provision

Andrew Doyle

844. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the areas in County Wicklow for the provision of broadband not covered by the commercial operators; if he will confirm that this amounts to approximately 30% of County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14835/15]

Flood Relief Schemes Applications

Andrew Doyle

65. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department will soon be in a position to approve the application by Wicklow County Council for remedial coastal protection works at the South Beach Arklow Golf Club in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13512/15]

Local Authority Staff Recruitment

Andrew Doyle

186. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the provision of dog wardens who would be employed on a self-financing contracts basis in the context of the large number of unlicensed dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12267/15]

Youth Justice Strategy

Andrew Doyle

422. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide funding for a Garda youth diversionary project (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12112/15]

Court Accommodation Provision

Andrew Doyle

345. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an outline of the projects undertaken, thus far, as part of the strategic courts project, under the Government infrastructure stimulus programme of 2012; and if she will provide an outline of further court house new builds, and-or refurbishments, due to be delivered under this programme. [8206/15]

Court Accommodation Provision

Andrew Doyle

346. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there are plans to include County Wicklow as part of any public private partnership project, under the Government infrastructure stimulus programme 2012, or any subsequent programmes, for the purpose of courthouse refurbishments, in order to allow the Courts Service to complete plans, under the strategic courts project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8207/15]

Legislative Measures

Andrew Doyle

248. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the definition for an accountant under existing legislation; if he will outline the proposed changes for the definition of accounts, under the Companies Act 2014, that is due to be enacted at a later date; if accountants, under the legislation, must be recognised by a professional association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6952/15]

Library Services Staff

Andrew Doyle

480. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the application for additional library staff in Tinahely, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7009/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Andrew Doyle

211. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the planning application for a new school build (details supplied) in County Wicklow has not been lodged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6352/15]

EU Funding

Andrew Doyle

72. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the European Fisheries Fund, or its successor, the European Maritime Fisheries Fund, provide funding support for fishermen, who are no longer involved in fishing, to retrain in an alternative maritime activity; specifically in respect of a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6166/15]

Job Initiatives

Andrew Doyle

262. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a breakdown of the funding provided to the Startup Ireland Initiative as set out under the Action Plan for Jobs; the return on investment in terms of job creation; the anticipated start-date for such prior to the Startup Gathering 2015 scheduled for October 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5957/15]

Regional Development Funding

Andrew Doyle

263. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide details on the regional development strategy currently been rolled out in the midlands in terms of the background assessment and findings; the anticipated timeframe to measure the impact; if an assessment for counties that do not have an institute of technology or another third level institute has been carried out; the effect this will have on foreign direct investment for those counties; if he will provide a cost-benefit analysis breakdown for regional development initiatives versus urban initiatives in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5958/15]

Rural Development Policy

Andrew Doyle

577. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a long-term strategic plan for rural economic development; the number of rural enterprises that have been set-up in 2014 and a breakdown per county; if he will provide an update on the establishment of a rural innovation and development fund; if he will provide an update on any pilot community-based broadband initiatives to provide adequate provision of next generation broadband services to rural areas; the future funding allocations and provisions per county, in tabular form, for community enterprise centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5656/15]

Planning Issues

Andrew Doyle

604. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the provision of a specific class designation for the development of large scale studio infrastructure under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, as there currently is no specific class of development that relates to the film industry, or exemption from fees under these regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6051/15]

Hedge Cutting Season

Andrew Doyle

663. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on extending the hedge cutting season from 1 March 2015 to 15 March 2015 as much of the ground was impassable during the recent wet weather; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4809/15]

Schools Health and Safety

Andrew Doyle

467. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the external lighting in the internal road network within the school campus at Blacklion, Greystones, County Wicklow will be made operational; her views that the absence of functioning lighting in a campus containing two national schools and a secondary school represents a significant danger and hazard to children, staff and parents; if her Department has consulted with the Health and Safety Authority in relation to the absence of such lighting in a workplace under the ownership of her Department; the interim steps that will be taken to provide such lighting pending any permanent solution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3690/15]

Road Projects Status

Andrew Doyle

241. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the development of a long-term strategic plan for the N11 in order to cater for merging with the M50 and secondary exits, as agreed by the National Road Authority; if the review group for southbound and northbound proposals has been established in order to assess suitability for greater traffic volumes, maximise the value of existing infrastructure and review traffic management measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2948/15]

National Cycle Network

Andrew Doyle

614. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there will be a new round of funding for cycleways under the national cycle network funding scheme; if so, when the funding will come on stream in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2731/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

505. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) in County Wicklow diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome can qualify for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48306/14]

GLAS Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

221. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that he has engaged the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht regarding the provision of long-term leases to farmers on national park lands to allow them qualify for the new GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46930/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Andrew Doyle

378. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the new building project for a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if the site has been purchased; if planning permission has been applied for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46789/14]

GLAS Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

509. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has had correspondence with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding devising a protocol to facilitate long-term leasing of national park lands for a period longer than the current ten-month leases in order to qualify for the GLAS scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46937/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

340. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of negotiations regarding the establishment of a bilateral agreement with Russia for the purposes of inter-country adoption; if he will provide a detailed timeframe on getting this agreement formalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44149/14]

Medicinal Products Availability

Andrew Doyle

408. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health the reason the drug Roflumilast has been removed from the drugs payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44158/14]

Fáilte Ireland

Andrew Doyle

568. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when Fáilte Ireland will announce details of the regional festivals programme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44157/14]

National Drugs Strategy Implementation

Andrew Doyle

685. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health his views on the extension of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 which is due to expire in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41485/14]

Medicinal Products Availability

Andrew Doyle

714. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate the drug Fampridine for Health Service Executive drug funded schemes to patients who qualify for its use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41609/14]

Fishing Vessel Licences

Andrew Doyle

81. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will raise the issue of the M/V Mary Kate with his EU counterparts, in both Germany and Holland and with the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, in view of the fact that the owner of the fishing boat, purchased the vessel in Holland, which was certified as being seaworthy by German maritime experts, which subsequently failed stability tests here and is currently in dry dock here and unable to put to sea and for which the owner, who has lost €1.2 million, is under increasing pressure from financial institutions to settle his debt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35970/14]

Election Monitoring Missions

Andrew Doyle

139. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason for the current method of selection for international election observers; his views on whether his Department takes into account the qualifications and experience of potential observers, rather than when a person was last sent on an observer mission; his views on whether a mechanism should be put in place to ensure the most qualified and suitable candidates are chosen for each mission, if candidates have in-country experience; his views on whether his Department's selection process meets the standards expected by the EU and OSCE; if his Department has conducted an evaluation of the way other EU member states of comparative size operate such election observer missions; his views on whether the current model of selection would stand up to litigation through the courts system, such as from roster members who were not selected but have significantly better qualifications and experience than those who were selected; if he will launch a full, comprehensive and independent review of the roster system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30667/14]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Andrew Doyle

735. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding an application for funding from Wexford County Council in respect of Gorey showgrounds under the sports capital grant; the reason they received no funding under this grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30945/14]

Diplomatic Passports

Andrew Doyle

154. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland provides diplomatic passports to Irish citizens working in European Union Delegations run by the European External Action Service either within Europe or around the world, or if regular Irish passports and the EU's laissez passers suffice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29893/14]

UN Committees

Andrew Doyle

155. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of times and the occasions Ireland has chaired the Western European and Others Group at the UN in New York since it became a member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29894/14]

Tax Code

Andrew Doyle

161. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance the changes that will be needed in the tax code here if an application is considered to host football matches for the UEFA Euro 2020 Championships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29895/14]