Parliamentary questions

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

116. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of requests that have been made to his Department by the military of the United States of America for landing permits at Shannon Airport, or overflights, under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 since March 2015; the number of such permissions that have been granted by his Department in that period; the assurance he will provide that none of these planes were en route to participate in, or contribute to, the Saudi-led and United States of America-backed bombing campaign in Yemen; the measures his Department has taken to ensure that these particular planes are unarmed, carrying no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in intelligence gathering, and do not take part in any military exercises or operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37694/15]

UN Resolutions

Maureen O'Sullivan

117. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the Cuban people by calling for an end to the blockade by the United States of America which has been estimated to cost the Cuban people $834 billion over the past five decades. [37696/15]

Trade Relations

Thomas P. Broughan

118. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on Ireland's current trade status with China; if this trade continues to grow; if Chinese companies are, or will be, involved in any public private partnership projects in the new capital programme; the value of this trade to the Irish economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36839/15]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

119. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent events in Palestine and Israel which have seen a number of civilians die in violent circumstances. [37732/15]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Denis Naughten

120. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress on establishing a reciprocal E3 visa with the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37731/15]

Consular Services Provision

Helen McEntee

121. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department's efforts to support the families and friends of Irish students who lost their lives in Berkeley in California in the United States of America in June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36985/15]

Trade Relations

Thomas P. Broughan

122. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department's plans for safeguarding Ireland’s trade relationship with the United Kingdoom, should the latter decide to exit the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36840/15]

Human Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

123. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to raise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights internationally, in particular with states that criminalise sexual relations between persons of the same sex. [36990/15]

Northern Ireland Issues

Thomas Pringle

124. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department's contacts with the independent chairperson of the review regarding the situation in Maghaberry Prison, and the working out of the issues in the prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36847/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

125. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his discussions with his European Union counterparts regarding the need to assist refugees from the Middle East and Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36986/15]

Overseas Development Aid Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

126. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the precise timeline to which the Government plans to achieve the target of 0.7% of gross domestic product spending on overseas development assistance, following comments made by An Taoiseach to that effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36845/15]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

127. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will confirm whether the United States of America gunship, AC-130W, responsible for the horrific bombing of the Médicins Sans Frontièrs hospital in Kunduz in Afghanistan, had passed through Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36842/15]

Middle East Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

128. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action the Irish Government or the European Union intends to take to force Israel to cease the increase in civilian deaths in Palestine, particularly those of children, in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37692/15]

Foreign Conflicts

Seán Crowe

129. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the Free Otegi, Bring all Basque Political Prisoners home campaign, which pushes for the release of Basque political prisoners, including a person (details supplied), recognising that the person is one the leaders of the Basque peace process, yet the Spanish state reacted to the peace initiatives by imprisoning him; and if he will agree, to raise the case with his Spanish counterpart; and to press the need for the Spanish Government to engage positively in the fledgling peace process. [36926/15]

European Council Meetings

Brendan Smith

130. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with his European counterparts; or at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, in respect of the escalating violence in Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36930/15]

EU Membership

Bernard Durkan

131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his European Union colleagues continue to examine and evaluate the consequences of a possible British exit from the European Union, with particular reference to the potential impact for this country, Northern Ireland, the European Union and Britain; if adequate thought is being given to the full economic and political consequences in the event of an exit of a major power from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37689/15]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Denis Naughten

132. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress on the establishment of a visa waiver scheme with the United States of America for undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37730/15]

Military Aircraft Landings

Mick Wallace

133. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will guarantee that none of the military planes of the United States of America that have passed through Shannon Airport or Irish airspace in 2015, with permissions granted by his Department under the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, were on their way to contribute, through refuelling sorties, to the Saudi-Arabian led bombing campaign in Yemen; if he has been provided with any information from the authorities of the United States of America in this regard; if his Department has requested any such information from these authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37693/15]

Middle East Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

134. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade given the continuing and escalating aggression by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, resulting in a number of deaths including those of teenagers, if it is now time to call for sanctions to be imposed on Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37691/15]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Brendan Smith

135. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome of any recent discussions that he had with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Ms Theresa Villiers, and-or with the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr. Philip Hammond, on the need for the British Government to release files and papers pertaining to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36933/15]

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Maureen O'Sullivan

136. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the work on the implementation of the sustainable development goals; and if Ireland will support the disability caucus call for segregation by functional ability. [37695/15]

Foreign Conflicts

Mattie McGrath

137. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his assessment of the Government's actions to highlight the ongoing genocidal activity against Christians, Yazidis and other Muslim minorities in the Middle East by the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36927/15]

Passport Services

Anthony Lawlor

138. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress being made with the proposed online passport application process; when he anticipates it will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37838/15]

Human Rights Issues

Seán Crowe

139. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware, of the ongoing and continued detention of a person (details supplied), a non-violent anti-slavery activist in Mauritania; and that his continued detention is political in nature; and if he will raise concerns regarding the case with his Mauritanian counterpart. [36923/15]

EU Migration Crisis

Bernard Durkan

140. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his European Union colleagues have examined the EU's response to the recent refugee crisis with a view to considering whether the member states could have re-acted more effectively; could have adopted a more co-ordinated and common approach; if the United Nations should be called upon to address this crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37690/15]

Departmental Strategies

Seán Kyne

141. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, with the impending expiry of the Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy, the Government Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy 2010-2015, he will outline the work to date on a successor to this strategy; the areas of particular focus; and the envisaged commencement date for such a strategy. [37687/15]

EU Migration Crisis

Brendan Smith

142. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the European Council's action plan with Turkey on the refugee crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36931/15]

UN Committees

Mattie McGrath

143. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the legal obligations that exist directing the Government to act on the reports and recommendations of the United Nations human rights committee; if he will confirm that Ireland, as a sovereign nation, is not obliged under international law to have the constitution and laws amended following the merely advisory reports and recommendations of the same committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36928/15]

Northern Ireland Issues

Clare Daly

144. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with Minister of Justice in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr. David Ford, and with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Theresa Villiers, in respect of prisoner issues in Maghaberry, and time being spent on remand. [36841/15]

International Agreements

Seán Crowe

145. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade recognising that Ireland has signed the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a humanitarian pledge to stigmatise, prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons, and that nuclear weapons are the only weapons of mass destruction not yet explicitly prohibited under international law, if he will urgently seek to establish negotiations to create the conditions for a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, in order to fill this unacceptable legal gap. [36924/15]

Northern Ireland Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

146. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the representations made by him to the Northern Ireland authorities in relation to the lack of implementation of the stock-take of prison conditions in Magherberry for segregated republican and loyalist prisoners; the assurances given to him that this matter will receive priority implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36843/15]

EU Migration Crisis

Micheál Martin

147. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the €3 billion in aid for Turkey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37147/15]

European Council Meetings

Richard Boyd Barrett

148. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the recent European Union Council meeting discussed the human rights situation in Egypt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37841/15]

Freedom of Information Data

Seán Fleming

149. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach the number of Freedom of Information requests received by his Department in 2015 to date, in tabular form; the number of such requests where the period of consideration, was completed within four weeks of the receipt of the request; was extended by up to four weeks because the necessary resources to complete the request within the original time frame were not available. [36739/15]

Departmental Budgets

Pearse Doherty

150. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the total estimated expenditure of his 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 his Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37269/15]

Lansdowne Road Agreement

Pearse Doherty

151. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach the allocation for his Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37285/15]

Appointments to State Boards

Catherine Murphy

152. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37369/15]

Jobs Data

Paul Murphy

153. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the number of jobs created in the past three years; and the number that were part-time contracts and full-time contracts. [37221/15]

Jobs Data

Paul Murphy

154. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach the number of jobs created in the past year by Irish-based companies; and by multi-national based companies, [37222/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Finian McGrath

155. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Taoiseach the number of civil servants under his remit that have been reinstated in recent years after taking a career break; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38733/15]

Disability Activation Projects

Tom Fleming

156. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection for an update on the disability activation project and training options programme, providing training and skills upgrades to persons with disabilities, in tabular form; the number of persons, who participated in each county; who completed the process; the number of employers who provided work experience; the job success rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37535/15]

Social Welfare Appeals

Tom Fleming

157. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will favourably examine an appeal by persons (details supplied), and allow for various costs such as mortgage interest management fees, in calculating the amount of rental income, and take cognisance that since 2006, both persons have been entitled to a contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37640/15]

Registration of Births

Dara Calleary

158. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to alter the section of the Civil Registration Act 2004 dealing with the registration of births (details supplied); if she agrees that this situation is causing distress to such separated mothers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38117/15]

Household Benefits Scheme

Michael Healy-Rae

159. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding electricity cuts in budget 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38275/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Willie O'Dea

160. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason determination orders issued by the maintenance recovery unit were not catered for in the legislation for the jobseeker's transitional payment; the reason her Department is failing to pursue liable relatives; if consideration has been given to amending the legislation, in view of this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37179/15]

Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility

David Stanton

161. Deputy David Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the policy and procedure for accessing emergency financial support for rental payments in private rental accommodation, while persons are awaiting assessment under the housing assistance payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37192/15]

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Joan Collins

162. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason payment of a jobseeker's allowance to a person (details supplied) ceased. [37231/15]

Disability Allowance Applications

Tom Fleming

163. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite an application for a disability allowance by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, given that this application has been prolonged, and all the relevant comprehensive remedial information has been forwarded for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37301/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

164. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the total 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. [37268/15]

Lansdowne Road Agreement

Pearse Doherty

165. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the allocation for her Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37284/15]