Parliamentary questions

International Agreements

Thomas Pringle

656. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way on the one hand intra-EU bilateral investment treaties with investor-state dispute settlement, ISDS, promote discrimination based on nationality, but somehow, in a post Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement legal landscape, allowing Canadian businesses or EU-businesses with a Canadian owner, to have privileged access to a legal remedy, namely ISDS, does not allow for discrimination based on nationality (details supplied). [19579/16]

International Agreements

Thomas Pringle

657. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason for the Government's support for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and its investor-state dispute settlement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19580/16]

International Agreements

Thomas Pringle

658. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way the Government intends to protect Irish citizens from the European Union Commission’s proposal to provisionally apply the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, prior to a definitive legal ruling as to the distribution of competences relating to new proposals to subject the EU to an investor-state dispute settlement under the CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19581/16]

Waste Management Inspections

Thomas Pringle

19. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied with the level of enforcement, inspection and compliance relating to waste collection operators here; the inspection regime that is in place to ensure they are compliant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18455/16]

Electoral Reform

Thomas Pringle

32. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address the issue of remote voting for those persons such as fishermen and seafarers who cannot be ashore when voting is taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18454/16]

School Admissions

Thomas Pringle

16. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his response to the advice by constitutional law experts commissioned by an organisation (details supplied) which found that no constitutional impediment exists to changing the Equal Status Act as a way to ensure that children have equal access to State-funded schools regardless of their religion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/16]

School Textbooks

Thomas Pringle

27. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to roll-out e-books in schools, given the weight of school bags and the cost of hard-copy books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/16]

Insurance Industry

Thomas Pringle

99. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the impact the decline in returns on investments through low interest rates has had on the insurance industry and the huge hikes in insurance premiums that have been suffered by consumers; his plans to deal with unreasonable hikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18514/16]

Human Rights Cases

Thomas Pringle

328. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise with the authorities in Scotland the case of a person (details supplied) who has been assaulted and who has been refused medical treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18512/16]

Pharmacy Services

Thomas Pringle

389. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has recently notified pharmacies that certain products, including blisterpacks, cannot be dispensed monthly but must be collected weekly; if he is aware of the implications of this for persons living in rural areas and for carers of persons in need of everyday items; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18061/16]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Thomas Pringle

424. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his efforts to make medical appliances such as FreeStyle Libre and insulin pumps more affordable and available for persons with type 1 diabetes in order to facilitate greater management of the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/16]

Home Repossessions

Thomas Pringle

37. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance if he will take on board the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness's recommendation to implement a moratorium on the repossession of houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17499/16]

Postal Services

Thomas Pringle

59. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the status of his engagement with the post office network; if and when he will publish a draft ministerial order pursuant to section 67 of the Post and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 to enable post offices to provide a range of financial services, including a standard bank account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17500/16]

Work Permits Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

47. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality why she has not implemented the right to work for asylum seekers after nine months, as recommended in the McMahon report; if she will do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17111/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Thomas Pringle

54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will bring unaccompanied children here as part of the Irish refugee protection programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17110/16]

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Thomas Pringle

148. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of difficulties with information retrieval from the United Kingdom authorities for social protection applications here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17383/16]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Thomas Pringle

230. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will increase the 500 m setback distance proposed in the 2013 targeted revision to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006 to be in line with current 2016 international best practices for wind turbine setback exemplified by the ten times tip height rule in Bavaria and the 2 km policy in Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16664/16]

Health Strategies

Thomas Pringle

426. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop and implement a comprehensive national vision strategy as advocated by the National Vision Coalition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17182/16]

Health Services Provision

Thomas Pringle

440. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason for delays in implementing the national eye care plan, which advocates for a shift from a hospital-led model of care, including an increased role for community based optometry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17206/16]

Post Office Network

Thomas Pringle

499. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of times the post office service hubs working group has met since it was set up earlier in 2016; when pilot projects due to be in place by summer 2016 will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16659/16]

Post Office Network

Thomas Pringle

500. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of times the network renewal working group has met since the general election; if he will publish a report on its progress in time for the July 2016 deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16660/16]

Broadband Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

28. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will respond to the European Commission's recent Digital Scoreboard Report which states that a lack of rural broadband has resulted in Ireland having one of the lowest rates of broadband take-up in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13114/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Applications

Thomas Pringle

229. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1036 of 17 May 2016, when he will issue a decision and notify a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16490/16]

Trade Agreements

Thomas Pringle

52. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of discussions on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council in May 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11891/16]

Basic Payment Scheme Payments

Thomas Pringle

186. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of agricultural payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16153/16]

Education Schemes

Thomas Pringle

49. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will amend the conditions to the pilot support scheme which is aimed at making third level education accessible for young persons in the asylum process, by withdrawing the five-year time rule to allow young persons in the process who have completed the Irish leaving certificate to access supports for third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15156/16]

Mental Health Services Data

Thomas Pringle

178. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents from County Donegal who were treated in adult mental health facilities in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15187/16]

Mental Health Services Data

Thomas Pringle

179. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of the 63 teams in operation and the number of clinical staff in child and adolescent mental health service posts which are located in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15188/16]

Legislative Programme

Thomas Pringle

211. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will bring the inland fisheries (modernisation and consolidation) Bill before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15077/16]

HIQA Reports

Thomas Pringle

241. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to HIQA's recent annual overview report on the inspection and regulation of children’s services in 2015, which found a varying degree of inconsistencies in the quality of service provision for children and young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15186/16]

Fishing Industry Development

Thomas Pringle

72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to develop lobster hatcheries to help enhance the lobster population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14490/16]

GLAS Eligibility

Thomas Pringle

75. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme to allow farmers with privately owned hills to be designated under tier 1 and tier 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14489/16]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Thomas Pringle

81. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress in ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; when it will be ratified; if it will be ratified by the deadline for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/16]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Thomas Pringle

596. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the concerns of the public regarding the lack of environmental policy in the remit of a Cabinet Minister; the reason for this; how he will ensure environmental policy will be included within the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14413/16]

Hospital Staff Data

Thomas Pringle

18. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of training positions, positions that have been filled and vacancies currently available, by hospital, in tabular form; the number of qualified training consultants available in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; how he will address the low take-up of training positions in hospitals outside County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13684/16]

Hospital Services

Thomas Pringle

101. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health how the emergency department escalation policy has impacted on elective surgeries, where there are empty beds in surgical wards deemed unsuitable for emergency department patients due to the risk to infection control; the logic of this policy in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13685/16]

UN Conventions Ratification

Thomas Pringle

115. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline her progress in ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; when Ireland will fully ratify it; if Ireland will meet the deadline for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14049/16]

Departmental Functions

Thomas Pringle

42. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her response to public concerns regarding the lack of priority given to the arts at Government level and the lack of recognition of its contribution to society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13113/16]

Broadband Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

68. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht how she will work in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to prioritise broadband provision in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13114/16]

Garda Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

80. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the cost of the security arrangements for the visit of Charles Windsor to County Donegal this week in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13972/16]

Departmental Expenditure

Thomas Pringle

138. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the cost to the State of the visit by Charles Windsor to County Donegal this week, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13971/16]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Thomas Pringle

65. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the establishment of a public service pay commission; when it will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12600/16]

Teachers' Remuneration

Thomas Pringle

67. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform how he will address pay inequality in the teaching profession for post-2011 teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12599/16]

Immigration Controls

Thomas Pringle

188. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons refused leave to land or permission to enter here at the border with Northern Ireland and their nationalities between May 2014 and May 2015, and from May 2015 and May 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12805/16]

Direct Provision System

Thomas Pringle

189. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to detail each of the 90 fully implemented recommendations of the McMahon working group report to Government on improvements to the protection process, including direct provision and supports to asylum seekers; and when and how they came into effect. [12806/16]

Mortgage Insurance

Thomas Pringle

234. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance if a mortgage insurance scheme for the capital amount of mortgages has operated in the past; if introducing one has been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12526/16]

Student Grant Scheme

Thomas Pringle

299. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the reasons each of the 37 applications for student support under the scheme aimed at making third level education accessible for young persons in the direct provision system were rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12807/16]

Wind Energy Generation

Thomas Pringle

357. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, given the fact that revisions to wind turbine guidelines will be informed by best international practice, he has noted whether international best practices have changed since the Marshall Day report in 2013 commissioned by the Government; if he has noted the recommendation of a 2 km setback by the Polish National Institute for Public Health and the judgment by the Constitutional Court of Bavaria in 2016 upholding the Bavarian state setback rule of ten times tip height that has been in force since 2014 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13581/16]

National Internship Scheme

Thomas Pringle

406. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will introduce to ensure that companies do not exploit college graduates as interns to generate profits for their business; his plans to introduce protection for interns, including a minimum wage for intern work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13167/16]

Motorised Transport Grant Closure

Thomas Pringle

649. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health to re-instate the motorised transport grant scheme in some capacity; the status of the ongoing work on policy proposals for the drafting of legislation for a new scheme; when he will finalise and approve the proposals; when he will introduce the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12611/16]