Parliamentary questions

Legislative Process

Thomas Pringle

65. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2016 will resume Fourth Stage in Dáil Éireann; if the promised amendment to remove the baptism barrier will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4821/18]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Thomas Pringle

103. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding for additional school accommodation for a school (details supplied) will be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5001/18]

National Maternity Strategy Implementation

Thomas Pringle

189. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health when the national maternity strategy and national maternity standards will be implemented by the Saolta hospital group; if home birthing will be available in County Donegal by 2019; if midwife led care options in the north west will also be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5000/18]

EU Directives

Thomas Pringle

211. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason chiropractors here will be excluded from conducting or referring diagnostic exposure within the European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Dangers arising from Medical Exposure to Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5133/18]

Civil Registration Service

Thomas Pringle

314. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 to enable notaries public to solemnise marriages in civil wedding ceremonies for persons who do not wish to carry out a humanist or religious ceremony on the weekends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4999/18]

Money Advice and Budgeting Service

Thomas Pringle

332. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the latest developments regarding the restructuring of the existing 51 local MABS companies into eight regional companies by the Citizens Information Board, CIB, in view of the recommendation by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection and Dáil Éireann against the restructuring; if her attention has been drawn to the representative deficit in place now that CIB does not recognise MABS NMF as the representative body for MABS boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5120/18]

Home Loan Scheme

Thomas Pringle

341. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding being made available to Donegal County Council for the home loan scheme; the estimated number of persons that will qualify in County Donegal for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5005/18]

Emergency Works Scheme Applications

Thomas Pringle

154. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for emergency works by a school (details supplied); when it will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4690/18]

Renewable Energy Incentives

Thomas Pringle

265. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce a renewable electricity support scheme for homeowners, farmers and small business owners and a scheme for larger renewable companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4933/18]

Emergency Works Scheme

Thomas Pringle

263. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for emergency works by a school (details supplied); when it will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4608/18]

Asylum Support Services

Thomas Pringle

308. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the implications of the interim scenario for opting in to the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (2013/33/EU) for asylum seekers applying for a work permit; if his attention has been drawn to the restrictive and exclusionary nature of the list of highly skilled and ineligible categories that applies to work permit applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4268/18]

Asylum Support Services

Thomas Pringle

309. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to ensure that the interim measure introduced until Ireland fully opts in to the Recast Reception Conditions Directive (2013/33/EU) will not become the permanent provision for asylum seekers accessing employment in view of the fact that the criteria is restrictive and exclusionary; the details of the permanent provisions for the types of work asylum seekers will be eligible for; the salary constraints; if these will be applied in a balanced and effective approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4269/18]

Work Permits Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

334. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if the list of highly skilled and ineligible categories that applies to work permit applicants for asylum seekers will be reviewed in view of the fact that the current list indirectly discriminates against women (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4221/18]

GLAS Payments

Thomas Pringle

480. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for delays in GLAS and beef genomics scheme payments; the number of persons affected by these delays in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3960/18]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Thomas Pringle

649. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding will be provided for new group water schemes (details supplied) connected to a scheme from a private source; the timeframe for commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4609/18]

Departmental Funding

Thomas Pringle

652. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if application forms are available for community groups applying for the community and language support programme Clár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3939/18]

Election Monitoring Missions

Thomas Pringle

148. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with Honduran officials regarding the disputed election results which took place recently in the country and the escalating violence as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2877/18]

Sustainable Energy Communities Scheme

Thomas Pringle

154. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a grant is available to assist a person (details supplied) to re-establish an independent electricity generating system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2149/18]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

305. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when special educational needs organisers, SENOs, will be allowed to instruct schools to set up special needs classes in cases in which a school refuses same; if this new authority will be exercised before the end of the 2017-18 academic year to ensure students have an appropriate place for September 2018; the way in which limits to SENOs' new authority will be legislated for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54325/17]

Capitation Grants

Thomas Pringle

455. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received correspondence from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if the school capitation grant will be increased in view of the hardship faced by schools across the country since cuts to the grant were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1921/18]

Higher Education Authority Funding

Thomas Pringle

460. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the HEA will provide a breakdown of the funding made available to an institute (details supplied) in 2016 and to date in 2018; if a copy of the agreement made between the ucation Authority, HEA, and the institute can be provided to indicate the specific spending requirements agreed to at the time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1955/18]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Thomas Pringle

570. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost associated with ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1365/18]

Services for People with Disabilities

Thomas Pringle

1060. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if a centre (details supplied) in County Donegal will be in receipt of capital funding in view of the fact that the interim building has been occupied for nearly two years and service users are in need of a permanent structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1608/18]

Legislative Programme

Thomas Pringle

1211. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeframe for publishing primary and secondary legislation for a fishing penalty point system in view of the fact that the December 2017 deadline for the previous commitment to introduce legislation has now passed; his plans to bring the legislation for same before the Joint Oireachtas Committee of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for scrutiny beforehand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1310/18]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Thomas Pringle

1264. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeframe for the roll-out of fibre connections in Donegal town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54388/17]

Renewable Energy Exports

Thomas Pringle

1268. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has an updated position subsequent to April 2014 regarding the proposed renewable energy export policy and development framework; if he has had further discussions with his UK counterpart regarding same in the interim period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54659/17]

Tourism Industry

Thomas Pringle

1472. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided by Fáilte Ireland in 2018 to institutes across the country conducting courses on tourism and hospitality; if so, the amount that will be provided; when the funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1957/18]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

1677. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she will publish the report into access to social welfare payments by seasonal workers in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1942/18]

State Pension (Contributory)

Thomas Pringle

1679. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons previously self-employed who become carers do not receive credited contributions towards their pension entitlements, unlike PAYE employees; if she will address this anomaly, which may be affecting many self-employed persons and others who become carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1959/18]

Foreshore Licence Applications

Thomas Pringle

1687. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of foreshore licences issued in each of the years 2012 to 2017 for Lough Foyle; the persons or bodies they were issued to; the geographical location of the licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54463/17]

Local Authority Rates

Thomas Pringle

1725. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if local authorities send a copy of their RA16 schedule of uncollected rates to him annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54749/17]

Local Authority Rates

Thomas Pringle

1726. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a local authority's RA16 schedule of uncollected rates is a public document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54750/17]

Local Authority Rates

Thomas Pringle

1727. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on whether a local authority's RA16 schedule of uncollected rates should be available to be viewed on request by elected members of a particular local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54751/17]

Defective Building Materials

Thomas Pringle

1766. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a redress scheme for homeowners affected by mica will be established within the first quarter of 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1298/18]

Departmental Funding

Thomas Pringle

1848. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding is available for a group (details supplied) in County Donegal to enable it to renew old equipment and to travel to a prestigious competition abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54386/17]

Departmental Funding

Thomas Pringle

1849. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding is available for a group (details supplied) in County Donegal to enable it to renew old equipment and to travel to a prestigious competition abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54387/17]

Departmental Schemes

Thomas Pringle

182. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received correspondence from a school (details supplied); if the financial assistance to the school will be increased in order to deliver high quality education as Gaeilge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53711/17]

Aquaculture Development

Thomas Pringle

556. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address concerns regarding the potential conflict of interest inherent in the fisheries division of his Department which is responsible for both the licensing of aquaculture in addition to the development and growth of the aquaculture and fisheries industries across the country; his plans to reform the current arrangement in order that a healthy distinction is made between the separate roles of regulation and policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53660/17]

Fire Service

Thomas Pringle

728. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount of funding given to fire services in each county in each of the years 2012 to 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53712/17]

Humanitarian Assistance Scheme

Thomas Pringle

94. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the supports made available to meet the housing needs of those affected by flooding in Finn Valley and Inishowen in August 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53287/17]

Hospital Charges

Thomas Pringle

150. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the difficulties facing persons with haemochromatosis regarding the charge of €80 which certain hospital groups have imposed on those persons requiring venesection; his views on the petition signed by over 2,400 persons to have this charge removed; if he is in receipt of this petition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53266/17]

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Thomas Pringle

156. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of the 7.5 nursing posts promised for children with life-limiting conditions or complex needs in County Donegal that have been filled; the reason some families cannot avail of nursing care particularly for night cover and end up with agency staff which may jeopardise continuity of care; the way in which he will ensure that every family with a child suffering from life-limiting conditions or complex needs will receive the continuity of care provided for by nursing staff specifically allocated to families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53299/17]

Farm Safety

Thomas Pringle

191. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts made to date by his Department to reduce incidents of farm deaths and farm accidents; the supports available to those persons living with life-altering injuries as a result of an accident on the farm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53297/17]

Fodder Crisis

Thomas Pringle

192. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a transport scheme for the delivery of fodder to County Donegal and the north-west will be implemented ahead of an impending fodder crisis in view of the fact that transport costs will be higher for farmers in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53300/17]

Sports Facilities Provision

Thomas Pringle

217. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided for the sports facilities affected by floods in County Donegal specifically in the areas of Finn Valley and Inishowen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53288/17]

Schools Building Projects

Thomas Pringle

179. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the design and planning stages of the school building project for a school (details supplied); if this school is being prioritised due to the continued deterioration of the prefabs which make up the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52959/17]

Respite Care Services

Thomas Pringle

349. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene to address staff shortages at a facility (details supplied) in County Donegal; the reason for the delay in recruiting for the three vacant posts; the steps he is taking to ensure recruitment is carried out efficiently to avoid staff shortages in respite service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53079/17]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

165. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with community hospitals and other health advocacy groups (details supplied) in County Donegal to address ongoing concerns regarding community hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52545/17]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

166. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans for a reduction of service delivery for the care of older persons in existing hospitals, in view of his statements on community hospitals in County Donegal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52546/17]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

167. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if HIQA standards and compliance regulations (details supplied) as currently in operation will be maintained; the timeframe for a review of same; the timeframe for the subsequent notification to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52547/17]