Parliamentary questions

Coillte Teoranta

Pearse Doherty

694. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 190 of 29 June 2016 to outline the evidence of an increase in risk levels associated with instructors providing chainsaw courses other than those who are qualified Coillte Teoranta instructors; the statistics and data supporting these claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21111/16]

EU Programmes

Pearse Doherty

732. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the EU Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20575/16]

EU Programmes

Pearse Doherty

754. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20587/16]

EU Funding

Pearse Doherty

792. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of pre-financing, by programme, her Department has applied for in the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20582/16]

EU Funding

Pearse Doherty

813. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of pre-financing by programme her Department has applied for in the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reason this money will be reimbursed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20574/16]

EU Funding

Pearse Doherty

837. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20576/16]

Insurance Costs

Pearse Doherty

90. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his views that insurance premium increases in areas apart from motor insurance may be linked to core underwriting losses and an environment of very low investment returns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20402/16]

Departmental Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

93. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the fees or any other form of remuneration paid to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20243/16]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

96. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost of the special liquidation of IBRC to date; and the estimated final cost. [20337/16]

Jobseeker's Allowance Applications

Pearse Doherty

146. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to ensure that all those normally employed in schools as secretaries, cleaners and caretakers with moneys from funding sources including the ancillary services grant are enabled to apply for and receive social protection payments and entitlements in a timely and swift manner during periods of temporary lay-off, such as during school holidays; if such workers must go through the normal application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20231/16]

Special Educational Needs

Pearse Doherty

326. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware of incidents in which children with special educational needs who had enjoyed supports as part of the previous supports system are to have these existing supports withdrawn henceforth following the introduction of the new access and inclusion model, AIM, to support children with disabilities and special needs to access preschool education; if such a removal of supports contravenes a previous commitment given by her in which it was stated that all supports currently available through the various agencies are to remain in place for 2016-17 during this transition period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20232/16]

UK Referendum on EU Membership

Pearse Doherty

30. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the contingency plans he has developed to deal with the result of the British referendum on withdrawal from the European Union. [19751/16]

Public Expenditure Policy

Pearse Doherty

41. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to deal with capacity pressures within the public sector in the context of the Government's announced tax cut programme. [19752/16]

Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Funding

Pearse Doherty

75. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she will allocate the next budget for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal and the amount she will allocate for its awards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20050/16]

IMF Loan

Pearse Doherty

83. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance why Ireland repaid only 81% of its International Monetary Fund loan earlier and the potential saving in repaying the remaining loan earlier than scheduled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19882/16]

Vehicle Registration

Pearse Doherty

88. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of an increase in incidences of workers who are resident in the South and employed in the North being stopped by customs officials for suspected non-payment of vehicle registration tax in respect of vehicles which, as part of an employment entitlement, are registered in the North and have been provided to them through a rental scheme administered by a third party on behalf of their employer; the efforts being made by customs officials to afford such workers, who have applied for the relevant tax exemption and are awaiting for a decision in respect of an appeal, the opportunity to have their cases determined in a timely and just manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19974/16]

Legal Services Regulation

Pearse Doherty

99. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she anticipates that the legal services regulatory authority will commence its work; if the authority has been established; if its chief executive has been appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19444/16]

Mortgage Lending

Pearse Doherty

122. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance to provide the use of the exceptions under the Central Bank's lending rules by a bank (details supplied) by the amount under the loan-to-value rules, in tabular form; the amount under the loan-to-income rule and the amount that was granted to buy-to-let mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19163/16]

Tax Credits

Pearse Doherty

135. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the revenue from tapering out the personal, pay as you earn and earned income credits by 0.7% per €1,000 on individual income between €100,000 and €170,000 per year, resulting in no entitlement to these tax credits when income is in excess of €170,000. [19332/16]

Tax Credits

Pearse Doherty

136. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the revenue from tapering out the personal, pay as you earn and earned income credits by 0.7% per €1,000 on individual income between €100,000 and €170,000 per year, resulting in no entitlement to these tax credits when income is in excess of €170,000 and introducing levies of 2% and 4% on income over €170,000. [19333/16]

Tax Credits

Pearse Doherty

137. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the revenue from tapering out the pay as you earn and earned income credits by 5% per €1,000 on individual income between €100,000 and €140,000 per year, resulting in no entitlement to these tax credits when income is in excess of €140,000 and introducing levies of 2%, 4% and 5% on income over €140,000. [19334/16]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

138. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance regarding the CAT group A threshold, the total annual number of persons who availed of the group A threshold in each of the years from 2010 to 2014, in tabular form; the total value claimed through this threshold; and the total number of persons whose claims exceeded this threshold, broken down into regions (details supplied) as per the Revenue Commissioners organisational chart. [19337/16]

Fiscal Data

Pearse Doherty

152. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance to provide a recalculation of the fiscal space available over the next five years based on the figures noted in the information box on the possible economic impact of a British exit from the European Union in the Summer Economic Statement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19741/16]

Central Bank of Ireland

Pearse Doherty

153. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance how the loan-to-income and loan-to-value rules under the Central Bank's macro-prudential lending rules interact with each other; if there is a formula in place that limits the leeway for exceptions that can be used under one rule at the expense of the other; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19784/16]

Third Level Fees

Pearse Doherty

185. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the increasing concerns of students at the prospect of student fees payable by those from the Republic of Ireland, who are undertaking degree programmes in either Northern Ireland or in the United Kingdom, may in future be levied at non-European Union student rates following the Brexit referendum outcome; if he is further aware of similar concerns among students resident in Northern Ireland regarding the likelihood of student fees being levied at non-European Union student rates for those studying in institutions here; the measures he will take to ensure that students in both instances will not experience an increase in the cost of attending third level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19274/16]

Flood Relief Schemes Status

Pearse Doherty

379. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the south Ennis flood relief scheme will commence; to provide the technical issues delaying the scheme; the new anticipated date for finishing the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19254/16]

Neuro-Rehabilitation Policy

Pearse Doherty

542. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress made with regard to the development of a new implementation framework for the reconfiguration and development of neuro-rehabilitation services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19445/16]

Hospital Staff Data

Pearse Doherty

550. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if there is currently a full-time endocrinologist in place at Letterkenny University Hospital for the treatment of adult diabetes patients; the waiting times for persons to receive an appointment with the endocrinologist at the hospital, specifically regarding those waiting for three months, six months, nine months,12 months or greater then 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19505/16]

Budget Targets

Pearse Doherty

78. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will release an updated version of the summer statement, given Britain voting to leave the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18996/16]

Water Charges Yield

Pearse Doherty

79. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance for details on how water charges were treated in the summer statement financials over the five year period 2017 to 2021 with regard to revenue projections, expenditure projections, fiscal space projections and allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18997/16]

Departmental Legal Costs

Pearse Doherty

119. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the costs to the State to date and the likely final costs of a court case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18974/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pearse Doherty

194. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on waiting lists for inpatient and day case treatment at Letterkenny University Hospital, per specialty and in tabular form, and who have been waiting for six, nine, 12, 15 months and more than 15 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18927/16]

Revenue Commissioners Staff

Pearse Doherty

70. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the recruitment process used to fill a recent vacancy for a clerical officer position based at the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in Donegal town; if this post was filled using the central applications facility central transfer list; if not, why this method was not utilised to recruit for this vacancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18662/16]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Pearse Doherty

135. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to amend and extend the community employment pilot scheme in order to permit participants who are 60 years of age and older to continue their participation beyond the present maximum standard participation limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18806/16]

Gaeltacht Policy

Pearse Doherty

146. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will continue to provide supports to an Údarás na Gaeltachta client company (details supplied) following the company having had its certified approval to deliver industry specific training withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18751/16]

Coillte Teoranta

Pearse Doherty

190. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if only qualified Coillte Teoranta instructors are permitted to provide chainsaw courses on Coillte-owned property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18635/16]

Ministerial Meetings

Pearse Doherty

78. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has been invited to the European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs dialogue hearings and his response to any invitation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17946/16]

Ireland Strategic Investment Fund Investments

Pearse Doherty

79. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the value of investments the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund has made in fossil fuel-related investments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17947/16]

Ireland Strategic Investment Fund Investments

Pearse Doherty

80. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the value of investments the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund has made in companies involved in hydraulic fracturing here or elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17948/16]

Tax Exemptions

Pearse Doherty

89. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the payment of a domicile levy here enables a person to claim exemption from tax liability in the United States of America under the double taxation clauses in the 1997 treaty between the two countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18315/16]

Tax Exemptions

Pearse Doherty

90. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of cases in which Irish persons have attempted to claim exemption from foreign taxation on the basis that they have paid the domicile levy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18316/16]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

91. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who paid the domicile levy and the amount that was collected from the levy in 2015; his plans to increase the levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18317/16]

Electoral Reform

Pearse Doherty

216. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to introduce measures to facilitate those whose occupation necessitates them to spend extended periods of time at sea or in other destinations which does not make it possible to vote at their designated polling station nor permits them to make use of the postal vote facility in relation to voting in elections and referenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/16]

Hospital Services

Pearse Doherty

411. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the status of the review being carried out into gynaecology and ante-natal services at Dungloe Community Hospital; if the review has been initiated and when it is expected to be formally completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18177/16]

Hospital Consultant Contracts

Pearse Doherty

430. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will facilitate a group (details supplied) in meeting the chief executive officer of St. Vincent's Hospital to discuss their concerns regarding the staffing situation for those in need of sarcoma treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18326/16]

National Driver Licensing Service

Pearse Doherty

518. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has been made aware of a computer systems failure at the National Driver Licensing Service office in Donegal Town; the date on which the system first became inoperative and the date on which this issue was resolved; the impact which this failure has had on services and what alternative arrangements were put in place for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18124/16]

IDA Site Visits

Pearse Doherty

545. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of site visits made by IDA Ireland client companies to each county, on a county basis and in tabular form, in 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18104/16]

Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears

Pearse Doherty

2. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to implement the programme for Government commitment to deal with the mortgage crisis by working with the Central Bank to amend the code of conduct on mortgage arrears to include an obligation on providers of mortgage credit to provide a range of sustainable arrears solutions and to put the code of conduct on a statutory basis. [17748/16]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover Provision

Pearse Doherty

48. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the progress made in providing a solution to those persons in areas that have recently flooded whereby they can access flood insurance at affordable prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17537/16]

Loan Books Purchasers

Pearse Doherty

54. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance when, as per the programme for Government, he will move to provide greater protection for mortgage holders, tenants and SMEs, whose loans have been transferred to non-regulated entities, that is, vulture funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17538/16]

Universal Social Charge Abolition

Pearse Doherty

60. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his position on abolishing the universal social charge by 2021; and his plans to replace the potential €5.6 billion income per annum by 2021 that this charge could bring in by 2021. [17539/16]

Insurance Costs

Pearse Doherty

62. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to implement the motion on insurance costs passed by Dáil Éireann on 9 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17536/16]

Back to Work Allowance Applications

Pearse Doherty

165. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on an application by a person (details supplied) under the back to work enterprise allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17673/16]

Rail Network Expansion

Pearse Doherty

298. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to establish a rail link between Letterkenny, County Donegal, and Derry city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17882/16]

Road Projects Status

Pearse Doherty

299. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the A5 road project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17883/16]

EU Treaties

Pearse Doherty

100. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he believes Article 114 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union is the appropriate basis for the EU Commission's proposal to establish a European deposit insurance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17400/16]

Single Resolution Mechanism

Pearse Doherty

101. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his views on how sovereign exposures at banks should be treated in terms of capital requirements in the context of the EU Commission's proposal to establish a European deposit insurance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17401/16]

Single Resolution Mechanism

Pearse Doherty

102. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his views on the need for a common backstop and whether this view is likely to prevail in the context of the EU Commission's proposal to establish a European deposit insurance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17402/16]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

Pearse Doherty

103. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons in debt who have engaged with StepChange regarding their mortgage debt or any other issue and how this compares with projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17412/16]

Banking Sector Regulation

Pearse Doherty

104. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the provisions in place to prevent reckless lending within the economy and the penalties in place for lenders proved to have lent recklessly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17414/16]

Registration of Title

Pearse Doherty

105. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he believes that the Registration of Titles Act was respected during the transfer of mortgage books related to the merger of banks (details supplied) and in cases where a bank left the Irish market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17419/16]

Special Protection Areas

Pearse Doherty

209. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has not yet received an information pack pertaining to the designation in respect of the special protection area in which Inis Meáin Island is located; if he will make arrangements to have this person furnished with these documents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17578/16]

Departmental Schemes

Pearse Doherty

114. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of companies which participated in the research and development tax credit scheme, the amounts they claimed and the number of jobs they created under the scheme in each of the years 2013 to 2015, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16727/16]

Universal Social Charge

Pearse Doherty

115. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the statement in the document, Minister's Brief 2016, given its significance in revenue raising, that changes to the universal social charge would likely require the introduction of other discretionary revenue raising measures to fund it, what are these discretionary measures and when he envisages their implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16728/16]

VAT Rate Application

Pearse Doherty

116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the statement in the document, Minister's Brief 2016, about the reduced value added tax rate for the hospitality sector, the general recovery of the economy and increasing prices in the sector raises questions about its future, his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16729/16]

Pension Provisions

Pearse Doherty

117. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the statement in the document, Minister's Brief 2016, about work his Department is doing on pensions, work on developing and introducing a workable system, including a tax or other State incentive, if he will elaborate on what he means by other State incentive and comment on his determination of the sustainability of current pension tax reliefs over the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16730/16]

EU Meetings

Pearse Doherty

119. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the meetings he held at the Bilderberg conference in 2016 including their agendas and who attended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16766/16]

Financial Services Regulation

Pearse Doherty

121. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of prosecutions which have been brought against lenders for irresponsible lending in breach of Article 8(1) of the credit agreements for consumers' directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16798/16]

Tax Code

Pearse Doherty

124. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he still intends to appeal the decision in the event of the European Union ruling that a company (details supplied) should repay tax to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16828/16]

Tax Code

Pearse Doherty

125. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has met directly with the European Commission regarding its ongoing investigation into the tax affairs of a company (details supplied) here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16829/16]

UK Referendum on EU Membership

Pearse Doherty

127. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has analysed the impact on gross domestic product of a British withdrawal from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16839/16]

Inflation Rate

Pearse Doherty

128. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the effects of a longer period of very low inflation on debt profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16840/16]

Flood Risk Insurance Cover Provision

Pearse Doherty

129. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance when he will report on the proposal to tackle the difficulty in some cases of acquiring flood insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16841/16]

Financial Transactions Tax

Pearse Doherty

130. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his views on the financial transaction tax, including why he is opposed to it; if this position is open to review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16844/16]

Banking Sector

Pearse Doherty

131. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the options he is considering regarding his shares in Permanent TSB and the overall strategy for the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16845/16]

Legislative Reviews

Pearse Doherty

132. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to simplify and consolidate financial consumer protection legislation. [16846/16]

Consumer Protection

Pearse Doherty

133. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to amend the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16847/16]

Credit Register Establishment

Pearse Doherty

136. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance when the central credit register will come into operation and will operate it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16938/16]

Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears

Pearse Doherty

137. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to place the code of conduct on mortgage arrears on a statutory footing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16939/16]

Central Bank of Ireland

Pearse Doherty

138. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his plans to amend section 33AK of the Central Bank Act 1942 in line with the banking inquiry’s recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16940/16]

Departmental Contracts

Pearse Doherty

139. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amount paid to a firm (details supplied) to date and the expected final costs in respect of work on the Central Bank consolidation Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16941/16]

Promissory Notes

Pearse Doherty

140. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the status of the planned disposal of the floating bonds held by the Central Bank related to the promissory notes; his plans to alter this strategy; the discussions he had with the Central Bank and with the European Central Bank on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16942/16]

Central Bank of Ireland Reports

Pearse Doherty

141. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the figures given in the Central Bank's published insurance statistics are provided by the industry or if they are audited by the Central Bank before publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16944/16]

Cearta Painéil Mhúinteoirí Scoile

Pearse Doherty

224. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cathain a bheidh duine i nDún na nGall (sonraí curtha ar fáil) curtha ar phainéal forlíontach na Roinne; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [17280/16]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Pearse Doherty

269. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16792/16]

Carer's Allowance Applications

Pearse Doherty

270. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the carer's allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16793/16]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pearse Doherty

367. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a hospital appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16791/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pearse Doherty

457. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17308/16]

Addiction Treatment Services

Pearse Doherty

459. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there is currently no addiction counselling service available to persons under 18 years of age who are resident in County Donegal following the vacating of a counselling post; if he acknowledges that such an absence will have a detrimental impact on the health and well being of service users in the county; the action he is taking to expedite the recruitment of a replacement counsellor in order to reinstate the service; the details of the provisional measures which he will introduce in order to ensure that minors in County Donegal may avail of addiction services during the interim period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17335/16]

Road Safety

Pearse Doherty

523. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the road safety concerns of residents living in the vicinity of the N15 Blackburn Bridge Road project in County Donegal, phase 1 of which is currently under construction; the measures he will put in place to alleviate these concerns and to address the immediate hazards posed by the present condition of the road including poor road alignment, hazardous junctions as well as an uneven road surface; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16721/16]

Tax Collection Forecasts

Pearse Doherty

76. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance why he did not revise the predicted level of tax revenue from budget 2016 upwards, consistent with the out-turn of the stronger 2015 revenue base; the reason for his approach to the 2016 corporation tax forecast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16432/16]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

77. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the specific estimates of the cost of planned tax reductions or of the amount of new revenue that would be raised from the planned offsetting tax changes for all relevant years, given the warnings raised by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council regarding his taxation proposals contained in the programme for a partnership Government, whereby he commits to the continued phasing out of the universal social charge and states that this and other reductions in personal tax rates will be largely funded through higher taxes in other areas, for example through non-indexation of personal tax credits and bands, [16433/16]

Fiscal Policy

Pearse Doherty

78. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will release compliance figures to 2021 that reflect the reality that is incorporating his policy intentions, given the April 2015 spring economic statement in which the previous Government stated that it intended to adopt a fiscal policy stance that would meet minimum compliance with the fiscal rules and acknowledged that tax and spending projections in the stability programme update 2016 from 2017 onwards were purely technical and did not include policy changes consistent with this intention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16434/16]

GDP-GNP Levels

Pearse Doherty

79. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his views that under the stability programme update projections the debt-to-gross domestic product ratio is projected to fall to 69% of gross domestic product by 2021, but assuming a policy of minimum rule compliance as previously committed to is implemented from 2017 on, the debt ratio would continue to decline but would be around five percentage points of gross domestic product higher by 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16435/16]

Tax Data

Pearse Doherty

80. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has conducted a risk analysis of the concentration of corporation tax receipts having risen sharply in recent years, with over 40% paid by ten companies in 2015, up from 21% in 2009 and that in 2015 corporation tax from the top ten companies amounted to over 6% of total tax revenue, approximately the same proportion of total tax revenue accounted for by stamp duty in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16436/16]

Fiscal Policy

Pearse Doherty

81. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the reason for non-compliance with the budgetary frameworks directive to date and if the Government will enhance the quality of its medium-term budgetary forecasts by providing projections based on a realistic set of assumptions in line with the requirements of the directive and the requirement under the medium-term budgetary frameworks directive that budgetary forecasts also be provided on the basis of envisaged policies and hence the Government’s medium-term fiscal plans would include the major tax and spending priorities outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16437/16]

Stability and Growth Pact

Pearse Doherty

82. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he envisages the deviation stripping out the one-off Allied Irish Banks widening by end-year and by how much, given that his spending projections imply non-compliance with the expenditure benchmark requirements for 2016 when the bank's transaction in 2015 is disregarded, with the associated overspend amounting to approximately €700 million on the basis of current stability programme update plans and given his record of under-provision for a number of Departments, in particular the Department of Health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16438/16]

Fiscal Policy

Pearse Doherty

83. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the components of the methodology of the medium-term forecasts that were produced using the European Union commonly agreed methodology; how the forecasts are calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16440/16]

Fiscal Policy

Pearse Doherty

84. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the details of the complementary medium-term baseline estimates and why they are better suited to the Irish economy, given the medium-term forecasts that were produced using the European Union commonly agreed methodology and work already commenced to develop a complementary set of medium-term baseline estimates for the supply side based on methodologies better suited to the characteristics of the Irish economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16441/16]

Fiscal Policy

Pearse Doherty

85. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the work undertaken or plans to develop a complementary set of medium-term baseline estimates for the supply side, based on methodologies better suited to the characteristics of the Irish economy regarding the medium-term forecasts which are currently produced using the European Union commonly agreed methodology, which is only required for fiscal surveillance and which his Department has long recognised is not appropriate for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16442/16]