Parliamentary questions

EU Presidency Issues

Andrew Doyle

285. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress made under the Irish EU Presidency on the digital agenda and specifically, a data protection reform package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36164/13]

EU Presidency Issues

Andrew Doyle

286. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the achievements made during the Irish EU Presidency regarding EU space policy, EU space industrial policy, the European Space Agency and space surveillance and tracking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36167/13]

Companies Law Issues

Andrew Doyle

287. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on whether the company law (accounting) directive, between EU member states, will reduce an administrative burden for small and medium enterprises in the long run, but in the short and medium term if he sees this changeover to be burdensome to Irish small and medium-sized enterprises; his views on whether now is the correct time to be making these changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36168/13]

EU Presidency Issues

Andrew Doyle

288. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on state-aid modernisation and progress made on the matter during the Irish EU Presidency, specifically regarding good aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36170/13]

EU Presidency Issues

Andrew Doyle

289. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on achievements made during the Irish EU Presidency on advancing trade with our partners in Asia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36185/13]

European Capital of Culture

Andrew Doyle

368. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Designation of European Capitals of Culture for 2017 and 2018, that was discussed during the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36231/13]

International Agreements

Andrew Doyle

430. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the agreements achieved under the Irish EU Presidency regarding the European Network and Information Security Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36165/13]

Broadband Services Charges

Andrew Doyle

434. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures contained in the progress report on reducing the costs of high speed broadband under the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36166/13]

EU Directives

Andrew Doyle

435. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on an agreement achieved during the Irish EU Presidency on the safety of offshore oil and gas operations directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36176/13]

Energy Policy Review

Andrew Doyle

437. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will detail Ireland's contributions to the European Council discussion on the Commission's communication, entitled "Making the internal energy market Work"; if Ireland's concerns were incorporated into the communique; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36229/13]

Maritime Vessel Recycling

Andrew Doyle

447. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the agreement on ship recycling regulation during the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36178/13]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Status

Andrew Doyle

460. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the Vartry tunnel replacement project and the action programme that is currently in place for the Vartry tunnel and water supply in County Wicklow, in view of recent reports of a fault line that has been identified; the measures he and his Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the two local authorities involved in the tunnel are taking to address the deficiencies in quality and security of water supply; if there has been any development regarding a bypass tunnel or pipe and if his Department has received the contract documents from Dublin City Council so a replacement can proceed, in view of the fact that the Vartry tunnel dates from the middle of the 19th century and supplies 80 megalitres of potable water to 335,000 people every day; if he will outline, in tabular form, on a yearly basis, the amount of funding the Vartry tunnel has received from 2000 to 2012, and to date 2013; when he expects construction work to commence on a repair or replacement tunnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36157/13]

Water Pollution

Andrew Doyle

461. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the agreement on the directive on priority substances in water during the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36174/13]

International Agreements

Andrew Doyle

462. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the global legally binding agreement on mercury achieved under the Irish EU Presidency; if the Treaty will require transposition into Irish law; by what method; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36175/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Andrew Doyle

471. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form, the complete list of estates and properties in two counties (details supplied) that have been exempted from the local property tax following a challenge to the Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36468/13]

EU Funding

Andrew Doyle

491. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the establishment of an internal security fund during the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36223/13]

Judicial Appointments

Andrew Doyle

503. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is considering amending current legislation in order that a member of the judiciary is elevated from a lower court to a higher court, that the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board is consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35986/13]

International Policing Co-operation

Andrew Doyle

507. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way an Irish citizen may avail of a certificate, or other form of document, from Irish authorities to use as evidence in another EU member state to prove they have no criminal record; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36058/13]

International Policing Co-operation

Andrew Doyle

515. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way an Irish citizen may avail of a certificate or other form of document from Irish authorities to use as evidence in another EU member state to prove they have no criminal record for the purposes of employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36154/13]

Peace Commissioners

Andrew Doyle

516. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether the number of peace commissioners allocated to an area (details supplied) is sufficient; if his attention has been drawn to the availability of peace commissioners in this geographic area; his views on whether additional peace commissioners are necessary to meet the demand for their voluntary services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36172/13]