Parliamentary questions

Foreshore Licence Applications

Anne Ferris

886. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the marine licence vetting committee had the appropriate jurisdiction to approve the offshore grid elements of the Codling 1 foreshore licence application and to grant approval for same; the legislative source of any assumed powers in this regard; if he will confirm that the offshore elements of the Codling 1 project will require planning permission over and above the foreshore licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11524/15]

Foreshore Licence Conditions

Anne Ferris

893. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the internal departmental authorisation process that resulted in applicants for an offshore wind licence for an organisation (details supplied) being granted a lease in 2004, without having first submitted an authorisation to construct, a licence to generate and a licence to supply electricity (details supplied), all described as prerequisites for the application of a foreshore lease by Sustainable Energy Ireland in a 2004 report entitled, Offshore Wind Energy and Industrial Development in the Republic of Ireland; his views regarding the administrative process that sanctioned such a departure from procedures, including the existence of formal approvals; the name and position of the sanctioning officers and-or Minister; if this apparent departure from accepted procedure was sanctioned by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11732/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

895. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Government's proposal for the formation of an expert advisory council on climate change, particularly on the rationale behind the current proposal not to confine the membership to persons with independence from stakeholder interests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11774/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

896. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015, as recommended by Government, contains no numerical target for emission reduction and fails to incorporate a definition of low carbon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11775/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

897. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015, as proposed by the Government, fails to include any reference to climate justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11776/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

898. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Government has extended to two years the deadline to provide a national mitigation plan under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11777/15]

Nuclear Plants

Anne Ferris

909. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any agency of his Department has prepared a submission or is otherwise involved in consultation regarding the ongoing approval process by the Office for Nuclear Regulation for the Westinghouse nuclear reactor in Cumbria, England; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11935/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

944. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the fact that no public body or Government Department is maintaining an accurate or usable record of full planning permission granted to wind farms, including his Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, or the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; his further views on the difficulty the lack of such information poses for the assessment of compliance with renewable energy targets; the assessment by planning authorities of the need for any further renewable energy planning proposals; the scope of future strategic energy planning to be conducted by his own Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11407/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

952. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to the Commission for Energy Regulation regarding the Codling Bank offshore wind park and the status of any such application; if this aspect of the project will now fall under a new administrative process for Projects of Common Interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11987/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

953. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to EirGrid with respect to the grid connection for the Codling Bank offshore wind park; if this aspect of the project will fall under a new administrative process for projects of common interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11988/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

954. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the review process for Ireland's list of projects of common interest and the likely timing of the next review to include the appropriateness of listing wind energy projects which rely on the existence of an export agreement with the United Kingdom which as we know has been declined by the United Kingdom Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11989/15]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Anne Ferris

1003. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for a national landscape strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11397/15]

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Anne Ferris

1004. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to convert the 630 proposed natural heritage areas across the country to full natural heritage areas; the timeframe involved to designate the sites as full national heritage areas; the extent of environmental destruction that may have occurred in the 20 years since these sites were first proposed for full protection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11400/15]

Departmental Bodies

Anne Ferris

139. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the names, technical qualifications and method of appointment of the individual members of the marine licence vetting committee that assessed the environmental impact assessment for the Codling 1 offshore wind park project for which a foreshore lease was granted in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10662/15]

Environmental Impact Statements

Anne Ferris

140. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the extent to which the proposed grid connection to the Codling 1 offshore wind park was subjected to an environmental impact assessment as part of the granting of a foreshore lease in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10663/15]

Coillte Teoranta Lands

Anne Ferris

134. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legislative basis under which the opening hours for Coillte operated car parks throughout County Wicklow are operated; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such car parks may be closed by Coillte at times as early as 4 p.m., including at weekends; if his attention has been further drawn to the adverse restrictions that such inconvenient closing policies may have on tourism in the county and the road traffic impacts caused by visitors avoiding car parks for fear of their cars being inadvertently locked in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9824/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

162. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will commit to making a scheme available under her Department to assist Magdalen survivors in availing of complementary therapies. [9858/15]

Legislative Process

Anne Ferris

163. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will confirm that the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 will be enacted in 2015. [9862/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

164. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will commit to providing personal advocates to all Magdalen survivors who are deemed to lack capacity, whether they are living in institutional settings, in the care of the relevant religious orders or in the community. [9863/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

165. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the dedicated unit will be established; the number of officers who will be provided to assist survivors in understanding their entitlements; if the dedicated unit will provide personal advocacy services to women who are living in institutional settings or in the care of the relevant religious congregations; when the consultation process for the setting up of the unit will begin; and the way membership of the advisory body will be decided. [9864/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

171. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the Magdalen survivors who have enhanced medical cards will have the same entitlements to dental, ophthalmic and aural treatment, and dental, ophthalmic and aural appliances, as Health (Amendment) Act card holders, save where those treatments and services relate specifically to hepatitis C and the Magdalen survivor does not suffer from hepatitis C. [9855/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

172. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the Magdalen survivors who have enhanced medical cards will have the same entitlements to drugs, medicines and appliances as Health (Amendment) Act card holders, save where those drugs, medicines and appliances relate specifically to hepatitis C and the Magdalen survivor does not suffer from hepatitis C. [9856/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

173. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the immediate relatives of Magdalen survivors who have enhanced medical cards will have the same entitlement to counselling and psychotherapy as the immediate relatives of Health (Amendment) Act card holders, save the counselling for the immediate relatives of Magdalen survivors will relate to their connection to Magdalen laundries rather than hepatitis C. [9857/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

174. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health when the Magdalen survivors will receive their enhanced medical cards; when the Magdalen survivors will receive a guide to their enhanced medical card; the number of liaison officers who will be employed and when; if there will be an application process; if so, what will this entail; and if a complaints and appeals process has been put in place. [9859/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

175. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health if his Department will contact all general practitioners, both public and private, hospitals and other relevant health service providers to inform them of Magdalen survivors’ entitlements under the enhanced medical card; and the measures being taken to ensure that Magdalen survivors do not have to resolve any difficulties with the scheme or explain their entitlements to health care professionals. [9860/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

176. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health in the event that health care services do not have the facility to record enhanced medical cards, if he will confirm that cardholders will be reimbursed in the same manner as Health (Amendment) Act card holders. [9861/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

177. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the administrative arrangements for Magdalene survivors living overseas. [9865/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

261. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the recent High Court judgment, Ó Grianna v. An Bord Pleanála, has been considered with regard to the validity of the foreshore approval and environmental impact assessment process already conducted for the permitted offshore wind park known as Codling 1, in view of the absence of any detailed environmental assessment of the grid connection for that project; if his Department has sought legal and environmental advice on the effects of this High Court judgment, particularly with regard to the planning law impact of project splitting to the current foreshore lease, and any future foreshore lease, for the Codling Bank project; if there is an existing administrative process for managing the withdrawal of legally invalid foreshore leases; his views on the matter in view of the absence of an alternative planning process for Codling 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9821/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

262. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the name of the visual impact consultancy that assessed the visual impact of the offshore wind farm known as Codling #1 as part of the foreshore lease process for that development; or, if no independent visual impact consultancy was engaged to do so, the qualifications of whoever carried out the assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9823/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Anne Ferris

360. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a full medical card is granted in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow, in view of the fact that this person is on a low income and suffering with cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8746/15]

Renewable Energy Projects

Anne Ferris

204. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the quantity in megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity that has received final planning permission by local authorities or An Bord Pleanála since 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3163/15]

Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme Expenditure

Anne Ferris

214. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total quantity in megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity that has been approved for REFIT payments since the year 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3164/15]

State Properties

Anne Ferris

188. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the plans that exist for the restoration by the Office of Public Works of the now derelict State-owned Kilmacurragh House, County Wicklow as an important heritage site and to enhance the tourism industry in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49683/14]

Renewable Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

950. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the quantity in megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity that has received final planning permission by local authorities or An Bord Pleanála since 2000; the exact quantity of renewable energy generating capacity which, under the planning permission granted, may be connected to the national grid in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49684/14]

Commemorative Plaques

Anne Ferris

159. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding the new development programme for a national memorial to the victims of institutional abuse and the progress regarding same memorial since last November when An Bord Pleanála refused permission for the first planning application by Dublin City Council; if consideration will be provided to the idea of the late campaigner (details supplied) for the memorial to be located as near as possible to the GPO to reflect the wording of the Irish Proclamation regarding the cherishing of the nation's children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47477/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Anne Ferris

132. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a comprehensive update on the plans for the new school building in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the progress being made in view of the fact that the project appears to be behind schedule and no planning permission has been applied for; if she envisages the new school will be provided by the promised date of September 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45507/14]

National Car Test

Anne Ferris

571. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the reported backlogs experienced at present by the national car testing service; the way the application of road traffic penalties for non-display of a current NCT certificate will be managed in the cases of motorists who fail to secure a testing slot in adequate time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45055/14]

National Car Test

Anne Ferris

572. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm if there is a contractual obligation on the providers of the national car testing service to provide an online booking service for NCT customers; if so if he will confirm the way the contractual obligation is monitored; if the State has applied contractual penalties on the NCT service provider on any occasions when the online booking service has not been operating in a satisfactory manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45056/14]

Coastal Erosion

Anne Ferris

135. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the plans for protection against ongoing and serious coastal erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44631/14]

Special Areas of Conservation Designation

Anne Ferris

170. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the coastal monitoring and conservation plans and objectives for the special area of conservation of Murrough wetlands between Greystones and Wicklow town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44631/14]

Maritime Spatial Planning

Anne Ferris

175. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the development of a marine spatial planning system including public consultation steps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44536/14]

Harbour Authorities

Anne Ferris

572. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will publish the Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2014, to provide for the transfer of certain port companies to local authority control; if a timeframe has been set for the transfer of control of the port companies in question; if any decisions have been made on the nature of the subsequent relationship between the port companies and the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43074/14]

Road Projects Status

Anne Ferris

1118. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on plans for widening the N11 southbound from the Fassaroe interchange; if this work will be given priority in view of the present severe capacity problems on the N11 both northbound and southbound at peak hours and the likely impact on future traffic volumes of new development in the Cherrywood Business Park arising from the recent announcement that the sale of a 400 acre development site at Cherrywood is imminent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41567/14]

Mortgage Schemes

Anne Ferris

75. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on progress by his Department on a proposed mortgage insurance scheme for first-time buyers of new homes whereby a portion of the mortgage would be guaranteed by the State, in view of the recent proposals by the Central Bank of Ireland for more restrictive loan-to-value and loan-to-income limits for mortgage applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39720/14]

Heritage Fund

Anne Ferris

243. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the level of funds available to her through the Heritage Fund Act; the level of funds in the heritage fund; the amounts and benefactors of the fund in the past 24 months; her plans to develop the fund, both in terms of its level and remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38530/14]

Sentencing Policy

Anne Ferris

285. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures that will be put in place to ensure convicted killers and violent offenders, especially those considered likely to reoffend, serve their full prison sentence instead of being granted enhanced remission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37896/14]

Proposed Legislation

Anne Ferris

123. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the programme ahead for the proposed legislation on adoption tracing and contact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36010/14]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Anne Ferris

124. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the timeframe for the proposed commission of investigation into mother and baby homes, including the timing of the publication of draft terms of reference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36011/14]

Diaspora Centre Establishment

Anne Ferris

1724. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position in regard to expressions of interest from potential partners to develop and operate a national diaspora centre; the reason the process has not progressed beyond a preliminary stage; if a timetable has been set for the completion of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34427/14]

Diaspora Centre Establishment

Anne Ferris

1725. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport arising from the decision to seek expressions of interest from potential partners to develop and operate a national diaspora centre, if the promised committee to assess any recommendations made by Fáilte Ireland has yet been established; if he will elaborate on the chair and the membership of the committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34428/14]