Parliamentary questions

School Staff

Joan Burton

242. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the moratorium on filling certain promoted posts in schools will be lifted, since it was introduced as an emergency measure in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34779/16]

Teachers' Professional Development

Joan Burton

243. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the ways and total investment involved in which his Department supports teachers' continuous professional development at primary and post-primary levels; if he will provide this figure as a percentage of education spending overall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34780/16]

Commencement of Legislation

Joan Burton

244. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans and the timescale in respect of complementing the fitness-to-teach provisions of the Teaching Council Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34781/16]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

245. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated timescale for and cost of the Government's programme commitment to reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in junior and senior infants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34782/16]

School Patronage

Joan Burton

246. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the location of all schools under religious patronage which he expects to be divested in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34783/16]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

247. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider further improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio to help reduce the class size towards EU average in budget 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34784/16]

Postgraduate Enrolments

Joan Burton

248. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the restoration of postgraduate grants and their necessity to open up access to postgraduate studies, ensure that a steady stream of persons achieve a postgraduate qualification for societal good and to ensure attractiveness to foreign investors. [34785/16]

Teachers' Remuneration

Joan Burton

249. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for equating newly qualified teachers since 2011 and those that entered the workforce before; if he will report on discussions with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34786/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Joan Burton

250. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve access to special educational supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34787/16]

Irish Sign Language

Joan Burton

251. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve access to Irish Sign Language courses for students with hearing disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34788/16]

Schools Building Projects Expenditure

Joan Burton

252. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used by his Department for deciding on applications for capital funding of junior, senior and post-primary schools. [34789/16]

School Management

Joan Burton

253. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to end the current ban on promotions at the primary school level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34790/16]

Legislative Process

Joan Burton

254. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Technological Universities Bill; when it is to return to Dáil Éireann; the necessary changes he proposes to make to the draft legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34791/16]

State Examinations Data

Joan Burton

255. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the reported failure rate at leaving certificate maths; the measures his Department proposes to remedy this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34792/16]

Institutes of Technology

Joan Burton

256. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the drop-out rate in third level institute of technology courses; the measures his Department proposes to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34793/16]

Apprenticeship Data

Joan Burton

257. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the lack of apprenticeships suitable for a number of employment vacancies, such as chefs and in the hospitality sector generally, to upskill young unemployed workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34794/16]

Apprenticeship Data

Joan Burton

258. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; if his Department has proposals to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34795/16]

Banking Sector

Joan Burton

15. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the discussions his Department has had with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs regarding the investigation of the establishment of a local public bank network here as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33939/16]

Housing Provision

Joan Burton

37. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the discussions his Department has had with the European Investment Bank, EIB, and other Departments to establish an off-balance sheet special purpose vehicle to draw down funding from the EIB to facilitate large scale mixed social and private residential development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33940/16]

Mortgage Lending

Joan Burton

38. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has had discussions with the Central Bank regarding mortgage deposit requirements for prospective first-time buyers seeking to purchase their home who cannot save a sufficient deposit due to rising residential rent costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33937/16]

Credit Unions

Joan Burton

46. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the implications for the credit union movement here of the decision by the Central Bank to seek the appointment of provisional liquidators to a credit union (details supplied); the discussions his Department has had with the Irish League of Credit Unions and Credit Union Development Association regarding this development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33938/16]

Tax Collection

Joan Burton

50. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the status of his Department's work with the Revenue Commissioners in tackling the tax evasion uncovered in the Panama papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33936/16]

European Investment Bank

Joan Burton

81. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the detail of projects here supported by the European Investment Bank specifically in relation to housing, education, health and broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34091/16]

Motor Insurance

Joan Burton

82. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport have received initial recommendations following a review of rising motor insurance compensation; the status on the review of policy in the insurance sector, which his Department is currently undertaking in consultation with the Central Bank; the reforms he is considering to tackle the problem of motor insurance premiums that are rising at an annual rate of as much as 35%; if he will update the book of quantum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34092/16]

Financial Services Regulation

Joan Burton

83. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the proposals he is currently considering to ensure that mortgage holders and tenants and SMEs who have loans or credit from non-bank lenders or vulture funds are fully protected; if he is considering extending the provisions of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34093/16]

Ireland Strategic Investment Fund Investments

Joan Burton

84. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding which has been made available through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund for social and affordable housing provision; if he has satisfied himself with the current rates of interest being charged to borrowers through the fund; if he is reviewing the operation of the mechanisms through which credit is accessed from the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34094/16]

Stability and Growth Pact

Joan Burton

85. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his views on the opinion expressed by the Dutch Minister of Finance and the chairman of the eurozone finance Ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, that European Union finance Ministers are concerned that the European Commission is not applying budget laws in the same way to large and small countries and is undermining confidence in the rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34095/16]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

86. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the further preparations and contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event of a British exit from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34096/16]

Tax Code

Joan Burton

87. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the status of the proposed medium term tax strategy document; if it will be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas by July 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34097/16]

Financial Institutions Levy

Joan Burton

88. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a full report on the way the annual €150 million banking levy will be calculated as it extends to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34098/16]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joan Burton

89. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when he envisages the help-to-buy scheme as proposed under the programme for Government will be launched; the amount the scheme will cost; the level of assistance that will be offered under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34099/16]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joan Burton

90. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the status of the ongoing review of the Central Bank mortgage lending limits as specified in the programme for Government; the role of his Department in the review process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34100/16]

State Banking Sector

Joan Burton

91. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he expects that the State will still move to sell off all or part of a bank (details supplied); the estimated timeframe for this; the expected yield to the Exchequer; if this yield will be ring fenced for a particular purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34101/16]

Tax Code

Joan Burton

92. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his plans for reforming the current tax arrangements for the self employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34102/16]

Stability Programme Data

Joan Burton

93. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the status of the proposed development of alternative models for forecasting medium term potential growth as has been suggested by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council as an additional safeguard for detecting overheating in the economy. [34103/16]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joan Burton

94. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has requested the Central Bank to procure an independent assessment of the arrears and negative equity loan books of the banks as per the recent programme for Government commitment; when this process will begin and conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34104/16]

Public Interest Directors

Joan Burton

95. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has ceased appointing new public interest directors to the banks; the reform of the procedures for the appointment of bank directors by the State that are currently being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34105/16]

Fuel Laundering

Joan Burton

96. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to increase enforcement and sanctions for fuel laundering in view of the programme for Government commitment and the estimates in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly report on cross-Border crime of the loss to the Eexchequer by fuel fraud to be in the range of €140 to €260 million per year; if he has met his Northern Irish counterpart on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34106/16]

Tax Code

Joan Burton

97. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when he envisages a new tax on sugar drinks will be introduced; the estimated annual yield from such a tax; the rate at which he considers the new tax should be set and the types of drinks included within its scope; the preparation currently being undertaken by his Department in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34107/16]

Central Bank of Ireland IT Operations

Joan Burton

98. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his views on the recent comments by the Governor of the Central Bank (details supplied) that technological innovation may alter the role of central banks in managing the money supply and acting as a lender of last resort in the context of widespread adoption of private sector digital currencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34108/16]

Credit Availability

Joan Burton

99. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has reviewed the most recent quarterly bank watch study from ISME on the ability of small and medium firms to get loan approval and access to credit; his views on the refusal rate of 35% for requests for credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34109/16]

Corporation Tax Regime

Joan Burton

136. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the work his Department has carried out in ensuring that a minimum effective tax rate is paid by companies offsetting substantial losses accrued against their tax liabilities during the crash; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34400/16]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

103. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the building of a school (details supplied); when construction is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33963/16]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

6. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the status of any further discussions with the devolved administrations in the United Kingdom, in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales regarding Brexit. [33530/16]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Joan Burton

215. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the community employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33317/16]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joan Burton

216. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who was made redundant in May 2016 and received statutory redundancy in July 2016 is eligible for the back to education allowance on a level 8 course commencing in September 2017 where the person applies to the CAO for said course in November 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33318/16]

Credit Union Lending

Joan Burton

100. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has had discussions with the Irish League of Credit Unions regarding the establishment of a special purpose vehicle, SPV, to enable credit unions to invest surplus funds in to facilitate lending to the SME sector; if his Department is developing a structure for such a SPV for the credit union movement's surplus funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32564/16]

Third Level Staff Recruitment

Joan Burton

126. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to continue or amend the employment control framework, ECF, currently in place for higher education institutions; if he will consider a phased withdrawal of the ECF to ease the restriction on staffing in higher education institutions; if he will ensure that arts humanities departments have the same capacity to recruit academic staff as science technology engineering and maths departments in any amendment of the ECF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32576/16]

Industrial Disputes

Joan Burton

133. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether second level schools will close on dates other than those formally set out as strike days by the ASTI as a direct result and consequence of the withdrawal of ASTI members from supervision and substitution duties; if his Department will pay the wages of ASTI members who present for work on those days but who are unable to teach students because of the closure of schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32629/16]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Joan Burton

144. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to an engineer's report detailing the need for replacement of 39 year old fire doors and apex windows in a school (details supplied), and that it was not included in the summer works programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32720/16]

Recreational Angling Sector

Joan Burton

408. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of derelict fishing rights transferred from the former Land Commission to Inland Fisheries Ireland at a location (details supplied) under the Irish Land Commission (Dissolution) Act; if these fishing rights remain with him for his disposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32575/16]

European Council Meetings

Joan Burton

7. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he had discussions at the recent European Council meeting with his fellow Heads of Government regarding the implications of Brexit for Ireland, both North and South. [31981/16]

European Council Meetings

Joan Burton

8. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he had discussions with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, at the recent European Council meeting regarding Brexit; and his views on whether this would result in a hard Border with Northern Ireland. [31982/16]

European Council Meetings

Joan Burton

10. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if, during the recent European Council meeting, the opportunity arose to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Syria; and if a further opportunity arose to determine if any progress has been made in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in EU member states. [31983/16]

Departmental Properties

Joan Burton

12. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the landlords that his Department or bodies under his aegis paid rent to in each of the past three years; and the amounts paid in each case. [31638/16]

Appointments to State Boards

Joan Burton

13. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of all vacancies that existed on 26 February 2016 and all positions that have arisen since, including the date each vacancy arose, for State boards or governing bodies under his control; the names of those appointed since the Government was formed; if each position was advertised and a short-list was provided to him by the Public Appointments Service; if the appointments were approved by the Cabinet; and the positions under his control that are not subject to the Public Appointments Service system. [31639/16]

UN Conventions Ratification

Joan Burton

78. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when it is likely that Dáil Éireann will vote on the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [31621/16]

Budget Measures

Joan Burton

182. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to first-time buyers who have saved house deposits in excess of 20% of the total value of the home they wish to purchase and are now unable to avail of the help to buy scheme as announced in Budget 2017; if his Department has investigated first time buyers in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32001/16]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Joan Burton

191. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of the geographic areas in Dublin west for the purposes of school planning; and if he will provide a map illustrating the boundaries of the planning areas in Dublin west. [31458/16]

School Accommodation

Joan Burton

198. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost of the purchase of Roslyn Park rehabilitation centre for a new school (details supplied); the likely date the school will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31522/16]

School Accommodation

Joan Burton

199. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the newly purchased site for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 4 is of sufficient size for the co-location of a future second level school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31523/16]

Education and Training Boards Data

Joan Burton

212. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who have been recruited in the Tipperary Education and Training Board since its establishment; the number assigned to the ETB head office in Nenagh; the number allocated to other locations in the county and their locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31774/16]

Local Government Reform

Joan Burton

254. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for the introduction of a directly elected mayor for the city and county of Dublin; and the work his Department has undertaken on this matter since the consultation with the four Dublin local authorities in 2013. [31729/16]

Local Government Reform

Joan Burton

255. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has received representations from members of Fingal County Council seeking to partition the local authority along the N2 to create a new local authority in the north County Dublin area outside the remit of the proposed directly elected mayor for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31730/16]

Local Government Reform

Joan Burton

256. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has examined the redrawing of the boundary between Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council in the vicinity of the M50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31731/16]

Local Government Reform

Joan Burton

257. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department will be establishing a local government boundary committee to review local electoral areas in view of the population increases in the Fingal county area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31732/16]

Departmental Budgets

Joan Burton

30. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will explain the 9% reduction of funding in the 2017 Estimates for the Irish language, Gaeltacht and the islands programme from €51,206,000 to €46,736,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31014/16]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

107. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure the better integration of the arts into education and a broadening of the focus on science, technology, engineering and maths, STEM, into science, technology, engineering, arts and maths, STEAM; if he will expand the ambition and resourcing of the arts and education charter; and if he will continue to work to further enhance the position of arts subjects within the curriculum at primary and secondary level. [31305/16]

School Patronage

Joan Burton

108. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the new schools establishment group has made a decision in respect of the new Carpenterstown and Castleknock second level school in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31189/16]

School Patronage

Joan Burton

109. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the final assessment reports of the new schools establishment group in respect of the patronage of nine new schools to be established have been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31190/16]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

170. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has agreed to carry over funding for the 1916 commemoration to the general arts, culture and film programme for 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31285/16]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

171. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Government will commit to the long-term goal of increasing arts funding to the European average of 0.6% of GDP. [31286/16]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

172. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to increase funding for the arts over the lifetime of the Government; and her views on whether funding for the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board should be doubled. [31287/16]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

173. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will create an arts capital fund, modelled after the sports capital fund, to ensure better long-term funding for the Irish arts. [31288/16]

Artists' Remuneration

Joan Burton

174. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will liaise with the Minister for Social Protection to examine the supports for working artists under the social protection system; and if the Government will relax activation rules for working artists to allow them to support themselves as they produce art and cultural pieces (details supplied). [31289/16]

World Heritage Sites

Joan Burton

175. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will outline the Government's plan to pursue more applications for UNESCO world heritage status for Ireland's national landmarks (details supplied). [31290/16]

Irish Language

Joan Burton

176. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way she will work with her colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, to ensure parents can access second level education through Irish, especially in areas with proven demand for Gaelscoileanna. [31291/16]

Gaeltacht Policy

Joan Burton

177. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Government will provide extra funding to Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas to encourage greater use of the language and better economic prospects for those living there. [31292/16]

Arts Promotion

Joan Burton

178. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way the Government proposes to ensure arts funding is used to allow minority and new Irish voices to be heard as part of our cultural output. [31293/16]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

179. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to support the development of the creative industries sector; if she has reviewed the report from the previous Oireachtas committee on jobs, enterprise and innovation on the hearings which examined the potential for job creation, innovation and balanced economic development in the creative economy; and if she will implement the recommendations of the report in tandem with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [31294/16]

Irish Music Industry Promotion

Joan Burton

180. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has had any engagement with stakeholders in the music industry in terms of the establishment of a music industry task force with wide representation which would examine a range of issues, including the impact of intellectual property and copyright legislation and enforcement in both the music and technology industries, supports for the business of music education and a dedicated office similar to the Irish Film Board for the music sector. [31295/16]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

181. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has liaised with the Minister for Education and Skills on the development of contemporary art education at primary and secondary level in schools. [31297/16]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

182. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop a national cultural strategy up to 2025. [31298/16]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

183. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop musical education and make instruments available to young persons and the general population through facilitating schools, youth groups and libraries in enhancing their music resources and the provision of access to musical training and instruments for the benefit of local communities. [31299/16]

Arts Centres

Joan Burton

184. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has examined any proposals to facilitate on a national basis the use of vacant retail premises by exhibiting artists, based on successful schemes such as Space Invaders in Galway which uses empty retail units to support local artists. [31300/16]

Planning Issues

Joan Burton

185. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her Department will examine a nationwide plan for the development of village design statements that would ensure all future planning and development takes full cognisance of historic character and protects the character and heritage of our villages. [31301/16]

Heritage Schemes

Joan Burton

186. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the supports in place for development and protection of county archive services to preserve local cultural patrimony. [31302/16]

Arts Promotion

Joan Burton

187. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will liaise with the Minister for Health to develop and roll out an arts and health strategy across acute and children's hospitals and across the community health sector; and the other innovative approaches that are being considered to use the arts as a means to promote well-being across society. [31303/16]

Arts Promotion

Joan Burton

188. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action she is taking with her Government colleagues to systematically address social, geographic and economic barriers to full participation in the artistic and cultural life of the country, particularly for children and young persons. [31304/16]

Arts Promotion

Joan Burton

189. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will begin preparation of a global arts forum for Ireland, similar to the structure of the Global Irish Economic Forum, which would highlight our indigenous talent and map a strong and healthy future for arts and culture at home and abroad. [31306/16]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

212. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the 16% reduction in the 2017 Estimates for the arts, education and film programme compared with the 2016 Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31452/16]

Legislative Reviews

Joan Burton

294. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will undertake a full review of the rights of artists here including a thorough examination of existing copyright laws and the current Competition Act. [31296/16]

Departmental Bodies

Joan Burton

1. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach to provide an update on the formation of the Dublin north inner city task force, its terms of reference, chair and timescale. [30289/16]

Citizens Assembly

Joan Burton

2. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the convening of the Citizens' Assembly. [30290/16]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

6. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he has spoken to or conversed with the British Prime Minister or other members of the United Kingdom Government since the announcement by the British Prime Minister of the timescale for Brexit and the commitment by the UK Government to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to withdraw from the European Union by the end of March 2017. [29299/16]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

7. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister, the Scottish First Minister and Welsh First Minister concerning the announcement by the UK Prime Minister Teresa May of a timetable for Brexit and the commitment by the UK Government to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to withdraw from the European Union by the end of March 2017. [29300/16]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

261. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will address the pupil-teacher ratio in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30708/16]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

270. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the rebuild of a school (details supplied) is to be released to tender; when works on the rebuild of the school will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30874/16]

Child and Family Agency

Joan Burton

660. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which Tusla membership was encouraged by her Department and promoted prior to the announcements made in the budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30706/16]

Child and Family Agency Services

Joan Burton

661. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which families not registered with Tusla will receive benefits under its auspices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30707/16]