Parliamentary questions

Third Level Participation

Maureen O'Sullivan

194. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he can ensure progression rates to third-level education of students from disadvantaged areas; and if he is satisfied that access programmes are meeting the needs of students from disadvantaged areas. [47478/19]

Special Educational Needs Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

195. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of ASD special classes that are available and that have ceased, respectively in each year will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47479/19]

Criminal Law Review

Maureen O'Sullivan

282. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the terms regarding the upcoming three year review of the Criminal Offences Bill 2017 in view of the fact that there has been an increase in attacks on sex workers; the measures being taken by the Garda protective services bureau to combat such attacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47871/19]

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

283. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in each of the years 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019; and the budget allocation for GSOC for 2020. [47874/19]

Garda Transport Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

284. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of four wheel drive vehicles attached to each division in the Dublin region as of 12 November 2019. [47875/19]

Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman

Maureen O'Sullivan

78. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the ability of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman to act in the interest of aggrieved parties that are facing issues with their financial service provider; his views on whether the service offered to consumers could be improved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46528/19]

Tax Code

Maureen O'Sullivan

79. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 50 of 26 September 2019, the way in which he can address the unfairness for persons cohabiting, in many cases in long-term relationships, and those without children through other possible measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46527/19]

Tax Code

Maureen O'Sullivan

89. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the reason large polluters such as the airline sector were not considered for increased carbon related taxation as a means to make carbon taxes more equitable in view of the increase in carbon taxes and related climate change mitigation expenses being levied on many persons and households in budget 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42280/19]

EU Programmes

Maureen O'Sullivan

109. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the issues involving the INTERREG 111a Programme 2000-2006, priority 2, measure 3: renewable energy and an application by a company (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Belgian public prosecutor has opened a file regarding allegations of fraud against the programme; and if he will consider registering an interest in the investigation with a view to assist if necessary. [46886/19]

Ambulance Service

Maureen O'Sullivan

182. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is continuing to refuse to pay the Dublin Fire Brigade for the ambulance service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46904/19]

Bord na gCon Staff

Maureen O'Sullivan

191. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of employees as of November 2019 that are employed by the Irish Greyhound Board; the breakdown of roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46872/19]

Presidential Elections

Maureen O'Sullivan

47. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Ireland recognises the recent election of Mr. Evo Morales as President of Bolivia; if calls for similar recognition at EU level will be supported; if he with his EU colleagues will condemn the US position on the election which infringes Bolivian sovereignty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46257/19]

International Agreements

Maureen O'Sullivan

50. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the need for binding legislation here to secure due diligence for business and human rights to ensure mandatory guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46258/19]

Military Neutrality

Maureen O'Sullivan

67. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which the neutrality of Ireland will be guaranteed and respected in view of the fact that the final statement of the 15th Inter-Parliamentary Conference for CFSP and CSDP on 4 to 6 September 2019 stated that EU defence cooperation should be continued to be coordinated with NATO and should aim to create synergies for both the EU and NATO. [45077/19]

Human Rights

Maureen O'Sullivan

70. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will follow the lead of other states by calling on Myanmar to be brought before the International Court of Justice for genocidal actions against the Rohingya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46255/19]

Economic Sanctions

Maureen O'Sullivan

74. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if progress has been made to address the US embargo which continues to this day and which is having a detrimental effect on Cubans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46256/19]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

132. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the detail of his most recent meeting with insurance industry representatives regarding issues faced by potential home buyers in East Wall, Dublin 3, being refused home cover due to industry perceived flood risks; the measures he can take to ensure potential homeowners are treated fairly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46531/19]

Illicit Trade in Tobacco

Maureen O'Sullivan

133. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance his views on the loss of earnings of retailers through the illegal importation and selling of tobacco products, which becomes more prevalent with duty increases on such products as was the case in budget 2020; and the way in which he can ensure that legitimate retailers are not undercut. [46532/19]

European Defence Capabilities

Maureen O'Sullivan

4. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the relationship between Ireland and the Future Combat Air System, FCAS, and the European defence union. [45509/19]

Partnership for Peace

Maureen O'Sullivan

21. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will report on the membership of Ireland in Partnership for Peace under the auspices of NATO; his views on the way in which the efforts of NATO at re-organising its partnership structures will influence the position of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45089/19]

Defence Forces Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

27. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces purchase from Israeli arms suppliers; his views on whether it is ethical to purchase weapons that have a connection to states engaged in activities in violation of international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45090/19]

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

44. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of progressing the recommendations of the Moore Street report, Securing History 2, of 31 July 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45088/19]

Offshore Islands

Maureen O'Sullivan

47. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the interdepartmental committee on offshore island development; and if she has reconsidered that island communities should be directly represented. [43819/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

224. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the definition of regulated coursing matches requires clubs to comply with rules 11 and 13 of a club (details supplied) regarding the open seasons order for which she has sole responsibility. [45631/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

225. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the definition of regulated coursing matches requires clubs to comply with directive 11 of a club (details supplied) regarding the open seasons order for which she has sole responsibility. [45632/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

226. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the definition of regulated coursing matches requires greyhounds to be wearing the proper collars in line with rule 109 of a club (details supplied) regarding the open seasons order for which she has sole responsibility. [45633/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

227. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason 19 affiliated clubs of a club (details supplied) referred to in a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine were not listed in the licence schedule for the 2018-19 season in relation to conditions of the hare netting licence; and the measures in place to monitor their activity. [45634/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

228. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the interpretation and extent of the open seasons order set out in paragraphs 6.0 to 6.3 of a submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of the open seasons order for which she has sole responsibility; and if this was the case prior to the date of the submission. [45635/19]

Housing Assistance Payment

Maureen O'Sullivan

39. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by tenants granted HAP in securing properties that accept the payment; if he will report on efforts to ensure HAP is a realistic option for tenants currently on local authority waiting lists in view of the difficulty in securing tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45086/19]

Planning Guidelines

Maureen O'Sullivan

55. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the powers invested in local authorities to sanction developers in respect of violations of hours of work, noise and other related matters; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by residents, particularly in areas such as North Lotts in which there are multiple large-scale developments taking place simultaneously, impacting on quality of life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45085/19]

Human Rights

Maureen O'Sullivan

112. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the treatment of the Uighur population in the north-western provinces of China by the Chinese Government (details supplied); his plans to raise this at European level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44896/19]

Crime Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

319. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which crime statistics and figures are published; if he will consider a more localised system of statistics based on postcode areas within the Dublin Metropolitan Region for crime statistics and reports in view of the number of community and residential organisations that are organised in small local communities in which specific crime figures would be of benefit to them and for community vigilance in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44658/19]

Medicinal Products Reimbursement

Maureen O'Sullivan

645. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the meaning of the phrase "minded to approve" in terms of the drug osimertinib, or Tagrisso; and the way in which he can address the funding issues for the drug for 2020. [45093/19]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

1219. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason for lifting the total ban on hare net licences in view of her previous statements regarding the damage the RHD2 disease could potentially inflict on the hare population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45087/19]

Community Development Initiatives

Maureen O'Sullivan

5. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which he plans to progress the report, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, to ensure real community development. [43818/19]

Greyhound Industry Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

201. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 15 October 2019, the number of runners, greyhounds injured, greyhounds that died or were put to sleep and the causes of the injuries and deaths in each greyhound track for the period 1 January 2019 to date in 2019, by month in tabular form. [43886/19]

Animal Experimentation

Maureen O'Sullivan

100. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he has taken on the reports that UCC and Trinity College Dublin have been involved in experimentation on thousands of live animals each year; and his plans to deal with banning vivisection. [43664/19]

Driver Licence Renewals

Maureen O'Sullivan

179. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the NDLS has discretion to reissue driver licences to a person whose driver licence has lapsed for a time greater than the allowed period; his views on whether a holder of a full licence and competent driver who allowed their licence to lapse should not have to go through the designated number of driver lessons and the associated costs of the licence to re-obtain a full licence to which they were previously a holder of; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43692/19]

Children in Care

Maureen O'Sullivan

59. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the locations of voluntary residential services situated in the strategic plan for residential care services for children under State care. [43152/19]

Childcare Services Administration

Maureen O'Sullivan

63. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 1665 of 6 September 2019, the way in which the national childcare scheme can address the further stigmatisation for persons requiring a referral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43154/19]

Online Safety

Maureen O'Sullivan

67. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which she can ensure that children are protected while online; her views on whether self-regulation should not substitute the obligations of the national legislator to safeguard children; if she has consulted with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment regarding child safety being paramount in the online safety and media regulation Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43155/19]

Childcare Services Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

71. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which she can address the shortage of childcare facilities in the Dublin 7 area, the growing demographic of families that are having extreme difficulty in securing places for their children and the way in which some childcare facilities are charging perceived exorbitant up-front fees months in advance for places in the Dublin 7 catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43153/19]

Youth Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

74. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the role of the board of City of Dublin Youth Service Board, CDYSB, in addressing the issues that arose in the report, Organisation Review of the City of Dublin Youth Service Board; and the implications for the delivery of youth work in the area covered by the board. [43151/19]

Residential Institutions

Maureen O'Sullivan

352. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if recommendations from a working group convened by his Department to develop specific proposals for a package of health and well-being supports for former residents of mother and baby homes were included in budget 2020; if so, the supports in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43248/19]

Childcare Services Staff

Maureen O'Sullivan

557. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which she can address low pay, high staff turnover and perceived crippling administrative burdens in the early years sector through investment in line with the increased hours set out in the national childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43174/19]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Maureen O'Sullivan

560. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there were provisions in budget 2020 for survivors of mother and baby homes; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43236/19]

School Curriculum

Maureen O'Sullivan

33. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the new criteria for Irish exemptions as announced on 12 August 2019; the way in which he can address concerns that these new criteria have led to downgrading of Irish as a taught subject in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42345/19]

Youth Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

68. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the CIPFA report initiated by the ETB and brought to his attention in July 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42344/19]

Road Traffic Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

149. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made regarding the dangerous use of scrambler and quad bikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42630/19]

Primary Care Centres Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

175. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the status of the primary healthcare centre in Finglas, Dublin 11. [42638/19]