Parliamentary questions

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Willie Penrose

176. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has been notified of force majeure circumstance by a company (details supplied) in relation to its NBP commitment agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9011/18]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Willie Penrose

177. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 1008 of 13 July 2017, the top five blackspots by county for mobile coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9013/18]

Metropolitan Area Networks Programme

Willie Penrose

178. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date on which changes to clawback arrangements of MANS enhancements were adopted; if the new arrangements were applied retrospectively from the date of adoption; if there is or likely to be a net cost to the State from this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9014/18]

Broadband Service Provision

Willie Penrose

179. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of premises passed under the Eircom commitment contract in Q2, Q3 and Q4 of 2017 that were deployed by means of eVDSL, LR-VDSL or were otherwise not fibre-to-the-premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9015/18]

Broadband Service Provision

Willie Penrose

180. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 587 of 23 May 2017, his plans to issue a policy direction to a body (details supplied) in relation to the coverage conditions, as opposed to the allocation method, or of spectrum licences in the 700MHz band; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9016/18]

Development Contributions

Willie Penrose

212. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the local authorities that remain non-compliant with the 2013 development contribution guidelines in relation to taskforce action number 8 and the progress report of the taskforce implementation group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9012/18]

Tax and Social Welfare Codes

Willie Penrose

40. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the changes she plans to implement following the publication of the report into tax and social insurance implications of intermediary employment structures and self-employment arrangements; her further plans to conduct a study to determine the number of persons who are in these arrangements due to the reliance on data based on a self-described determination in the CSO Quarterly National Household Survey in which persons may not realise they are, in fact, self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8464/18]

Departmental Priorities

Willie Penrose

46. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the policy changes she plans to pursue in 2018; her priorities in view of the publication of the social impact assessment of budget 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8346/18]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Willie Penrose

61. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount of funding she sought from the Dormant Accounts Fund; the criteria for the selection of projects to receive funding; the number of projects that sought funding from her Department; if there was a public request for submissions; and the details of projects that sought funding. [8350/18]

Employment Rights

Willie Penrose

72. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to amend the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 to reduce the look-back reference period to 13 months or less and narrow the bands of hours into which persons can be placed; and her further plans to provide a definition in law for casual employment. [8349/18]

Humanitarian Assistance Scheme

Willie Penrose

81. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is satisfied with the operation of the humanitarian assistance scheme; the number of persons that applied for assistance following storm Eleanor; the amount awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8348/18]

Family Support Services

Willie Penrose

83. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the report on the working family payment to replace family income supplement will be published. [8347/18]

Tax Compliance

Willie Penrose

154. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons that paid tax in each of the past ten years as casual workers; if the Revenue Commissioners have specific practices and procedures to deal with the tax compliance responsibilities of casual workers and their employers; if so, the practices and procedures in this regard; if the normal PAYE rules including rules relating to cessation of employment apply to casual workers; if casual workers are self identified as such to the Revenue Commissioners; if not, if other information is also relied upon; if he and the Revenue Commissioners have satisfied themselves that the date provided to them accurately reflects the nature and extent of casual work in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8636/18]

National Planning Framework

Willie Penrose

519. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the input he made to the national planning framework; the additional capital investment he has secured in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8367/18]

Walks Scheme

Willie Penrose

520. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which he plans to meet the programme for a partnership Government commitment to double the number of walks in the walks scheme; the number of extra walk routes that will be added in 2018; the locations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8368/18]

Western Development Commission Remit

Willie Penrose

521. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the Western Development Commission; the role it will have in relation to the national development plan; the work under way to address the depopulation of the counties under its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8369/18]

Greenways Development

Willie Penrose

522. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to encourage and support the roll-out of greenways; the funding and policy support available under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8370/18]

Rural Transport Programme

Willie Penrose

66. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposals his Department is working on in conjunction with the NTA to deliver on action points 251 and 254 of the Action Plan for Rural Development to work with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new rural transport routes as necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54714/17]

Disabled Drivers Grant Eligibility

Willie Penrose

95. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance his plans to amend or change the terms and eligibility conditions for receipt of primary medical certificates particularly in cases in which persons seeking same are severely disabled but have not lost a limb or have other significant medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8036/18]

Cancer Services Provision

Willie Penrose

225. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if correspondence from a person (details supplied) has been received; if same will be given consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8034/18]