Parliamentary questions

Tourism Data

Brendan Howlin

233. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of tourism and hospitality skills training positions that were allocated to County Wexford in 2015 and 2016; the total funding which was allocated to County Wexford in respect of hospitality skills and training in 2015 and 2016; the agency or Government body which has oversight and responsibility for hospitality and tourism skills development policy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5683/17]

World Economic Forum

Brendan Howlin

8. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and the cost of his visit. [4128/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Brendan Howlin

11. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing last met; and when the next meeting is planned. [4269/17]

EU Bodies

Brendan Howlin

138. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he has raised Ireland's bid to secure the European Medicines Agency with his EU counterparts in bilateral meetings. [2781/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Brendan Howlin

152. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the islands has met since October 2016; and when it is planned to meet next. [4273/17]

Marine Safety

Brendan Howlin

318. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to amend the regulations requiring persons to wear life jackets at all times while on board pleasure craft; his views on whether age restrictions should apply or not; his further views on whether it should be mandatory to undertake water safety courses in advance of taking to inland or sea waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4757/17]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Howlin

5. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach his discussions with EU leaders and the British Prime Minister, Ms Theresa May, on the possibility of a hard Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland; and his plans to avoid this outcome. [3238/17]

Official Engagements

Brendan Howlin

13. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach his proposals for official trips abroad during the first six months of 2017. [3242/17]

Official Engagements

Brendan Howlin

16. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has confirmed a visit to the White House on St Patrick's Day; and if he has had any engagement with the new President or Vice President of the United States since their inauguration. [4129/17]

Departmental Expenditure

Brendan Howlin

86. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the projected cost of his Department's communications unit for 2017; and if he is planning any change in the role of the communications unit. [4131/17]

Schools Building Projects

Brendan Howlin

168. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve a new school building to progress to tender stage (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3836/17]

Public Service Reform Plan Measures

Brendan Howlin

373. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to similarly advance the payment date for retired public servants, in view of the advancing of the date for the next payment of pay restoration for public servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4045/17]

Public Sector Staff Grades Review

Brendan Howlin

376. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to amalgamate the grades of staff officer and executive officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4501/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

11. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his conversation with the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, in relation to Northern Ireland. [1987/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

12. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the issues he has raised with the parties in Northern Ireland since the resignation of the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and his future plans. [1988/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

15. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings and discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin in advance of and following the resignation of the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. [2780/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

20. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his visit to Spain and meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister. [2779/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

90. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the commitment contained in the Good Friday Agreement that consideration would be given to the introduction of a bill of rights for Northern Ireland; and, if so, the response he has received. [3240/17]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Brendan Howlin

93. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the current responsibilities of Ministers of State at his Department. [3243/17]

Legislative Programme

Brendan Howlin

104. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 18 October 2016, when she anticipates the Legal Services Regulatory Authority will commence its work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3408/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

4. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the matters discussed and positions agreed on Brexit negotiations at the EU27 meeting at the European Council in December 2016. [1989/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

91. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has recently met the UUP, SDLP and other Northern Ireland opposition parties; and his plans to do so. [2784/17]

Garda Districts

Brendan Howlin

113. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the reinstatement of Gorey Garda station, County Wexford, to full district status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2867/17]

Private Rented Accommodation

Brendan Howlin

138. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the status of action 9 of the strategy for the private rental market which sets out that his Department will establish a working group on tax and fiscal treatment of rental accommodation providers in the first quarter of 2017; the terms of reference for the working group; if the working group has met; the membership of the working group; if the group will provide opportunities for outside engagement and submissions; the timeline for the group to produce a final report; if the work of this group will encompass the consideration of tax relief for renters recently referred to by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government or if that matter will be considered by a separate group; if so, if he will provide the same details requested in relation to the working group on tax and fiscal treatment of rental accommodation providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2622/17]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Brendan Howlin

354. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with US officials on changes to policy regarding the undocumented Irish in the United States. [40020/16]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

355. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions his Department has planned in the event of the power-sharing Administration in Northern Ireland not being formed after new elections. [1991/17]

Medicinal Products Availability

Brendan Howlin

437. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the consideration that has been given to providing the drug Nusinersen to those persons suffering from type 1 spinal muscular atrophy; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that doctors are reporting this drug to be the first to have clinically meaningful outcomes for children with this condition; the efforts that can be made to speed up access to this drug for those persons affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2683/17]

Departmental Offices

Brendan Howlin

1. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the number of staff assigned to the parliamentary liaison unit in his Department; and the functions it has. [40019/16]

European Council Meetings

Brendan Howlin

78. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the issues discussed at the European Council in December 2016. [1990/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

79. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has sought a meeting with the DUP. [1992/17]

Departmental Staff

Brendan Howlin

4. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if there has been a skills needs assessment in his Department; and if any direct hires have occurred in the past year. [39820/16]

Financial Services Sector

Brendan Howlin

35. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance his Department's current role in engaging with the financial services industry here. [38620/16]

EU Funding

Brendan Howlin

92. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if agreements have been reached on the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [1990/17]

Labour Employer Economic Forum

Brendan Howlin

720. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the meeting of the Labour Employer Economic Forum which he chaired on 5 October 2016; and the details of further meetings which he anticipates chairing. [40017/16]

Bituminous Fuel Ban

Brendan Howlin

1463. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeline for the introduction of an outright ban on the sale and distribution of smoky coal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41368/16]

Family Income Supplement Applications

Brendan Howlin

233. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application for family income supplement (FIS) in respect of a person (details supplied); the reason a payment of one parent family payment has been taken into account in the assessment of means in respect of this family, despite the fact that the one parent family payment has ceased; if a review of FIS will be facilitated in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40716/16]

European Council Meetings

Brendan Howlin

1. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has asked for items to be included for discussion at the next European Council meeting or the informal meeting of the 27 leaders to be held alongside it on Brexit. [38619/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

6. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his three-day visit to Silicon Valley, Palo Alto and New York and the issues raised. [38661/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

16. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he discussed the European Commission finding against a company (details supplied) with any companies or public officials during his recent visit to the United States of America. [40021/16]

EU Meetings

Brendan Howlin

17. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Prime Minister of Malta on 28 November 2016; and if the issue of a company (details supplied) was raised. [38663/16]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Howlin

5. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will reaffirm comments attributed in the media to him regarding the potential for a united Ireland following the negotiations on the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union; and the specific plans he has in place for such a measure. [38617/16]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Howlin

7. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach to set out how his Department will work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Brexit; and the process for dealing with the overlap of functions on relations with EU member states between the two Departments. [39818/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Howlin

504. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons prioritised as urgent on the outpatient list for urology services at University Hospital Waterford have been informed that they can expect to be seen within four years (details supplied); his views on whether this waiting time is appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39999/16]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Howlin

4. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has held discussions on Brexit with the governments of Gibraltar and the Isle of Man; and, if not, his plans to do so. [38621/16]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Brendan Howlin

5. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach the number of Cabinet committees and the number of meetings held since September 2016. [37412/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

12. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Pope and the issues discussed. [38662/16]

Ministerial Advisers

Brendan Howlin

76. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has made his Government advisors and programme managers available to Opposition Members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. [38664/16]

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Brendan Howlin

285. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if, in preparing for the recent EU Council at which trade deals were discussed, she sought legal advice as to whether provisions of CETA would require a referendum here. [34742/16]

UK Referendum on EU Membership

Brendan Howlin

6. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his engagements with the European Commission negotiating team on Brexit and Mr. Michel Barnier. [37413/16]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Howlin

8. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach his plans for a bilateral meeting with the Scottish First Minister regarding Brexit. [37411/16]