Parliamentary questions

Road Tolls

Fergus O'Dowd

622. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost to the State if the M1 slip toll in Drogheda were to be removed; if he will meet Transport Infrastructure Ireland to discuss the possibility of the Drogheda M1 slip tolls being removed to secure future investment in Drogheda and to eliminate unnecessary and chaotic traffic build-up north and south of Drogheda due to the significant amount of Drogheda residents who avoid toll booths; if he will consider proposals to remove toll charges for drivers in Drogheda in view of Drogheda's proximity to the Border and significant risk to commerce due to the upcoming withdrawal of the UK from the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24327/17]

Driver Test

Pearse Doherty

623. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will expedite a driving test for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who requires a driving licence for work purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24447/17]

Maritime Training

Pearse Doherty

624. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his views on recent reports that certificates of proficiency awarded to seafarers (details supplied) as part of training provided to offshore workers are not recognised by his Department; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of trainees over this failure to recognise the accreditation, particularly in respect of the impact this will have on employment in related sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24491/17]

Road Safety

Niall Collins

625. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline the options available to him to encourage all cyclists to wear helmets when cycling; if his attention has been drawn to concerns on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24492/17]

Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Michael Healy-Rae

626. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding a junction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24558/17]

Coast Guard Services

Imelda Munster

627. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out the number and names of Coast Guard stations on the east coast; the cost of running each Coast Guard station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24594/17]

Public Transport Data

Imelda Munster

628. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out in tabular form the cost of insurance in each of the past ten years for each of the public transport companies, namely, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann and Luas. [24634/17]

Road Traffic Offences

Catherine Murphy

629. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his plans to ensure that fixed charge penalties can be applied to persons parking without an appropriate permit in disabled parking places that are not on public roads, for instance, disabled parking bays in the grounds of supermarkets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24647/17]

Irish Coast Guard Issues

Imelda Munster

630. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if members of the Irish Coast Guard are permitted to enter the water in an emergency situation. [24708/17]

Bus Services

Brendan Smith

631. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his plan to retain a bus service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24713/17]

Fáilte Ireland Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

632. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out in tabular form the funding allocated by Fáilte Ireland through its various schemes and programmes, including capital funding, funding for marketing and promotions, festivals, events and so on, by county in each of the years 2007 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24748/17]

Bus Services

Robert Troy

633. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline his plans to bring forward proposals to fund specialised buses for persons with a disability; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that agencies that currently provide such a service and have applied to the HSE for assistance have been informed that the HSE does not fund the purchase of vehicles. [24759/17]

Bus Éireann

Robert Troy

634. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if consultants have been appointed to oversee a review of Bus Éireann; the way in which the consultants were chosen; if a tender process was in place; the closing date for applications; if this matter was publicly advertised; the amount of time he expects the review process to take; and if it will be open to public tender. [24761/17]

Sports Organisations

Imelda Munster

635. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of Ireland at European and world athletic championships; if the Athletics Association of Ireland represents the island of Ireland or the State at these events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24771/17]

Legislative Measures

Michael McGrath

636. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans with regard to the Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 to delay the entire amendment of section 1274 of the Companies Act 2014 until 2022; if only the amendment to subsection (2)(a)(iii) will be delayed until 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24000/17]

Proposed Legislation

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

637. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the Copyright Bill; when she expects it will be published; if she will consider extending a college's (details supplied) current statutory copyright library status to include accessible digital formats, which would make for greater accessibility for blind and visually impaired persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24191/17]

Joint Labour Committees

Seán Sherlock

638. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of SI 377/1998 Security Industry Joint Labour Committee Establishment Order 1998, as amended by SI 30/2014 Security Industry Joint Labour Committee Establishment (Amendment) Order 2014; and if all sectors under the statutory instrument are now compliant with the order. [24405/17]

Health and Safety

Niall Collins

639. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has had discussions with the Health and Safety Authority and Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government regarding progress on the current review under way on aspects of legislation relating to regulation of fairground equipment and funfairs and specific legislative provisions relating to fairground equipment. [24561/17]

Exports Growth

Niall Collins

640. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the way in which export growth to the UK slowed from 12% in 2015 to 2% in 2016 following the Brexit referendum based on the latest Enterprise Ireland figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24562/17]

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Willie Penrose

641. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the CETA, comprehensive economic and trade agreement, between Canada and the European Union; if same is being deferred pending a court determination by the European Court of Justice in view of the investor-state dispute provisions and their applicability pursuant to European law, in particular their compatibility with Irish constitutional law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24736/17]

IDA Data

Willie Penrose

642. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress made by IDA Ireland in securing investment for the IDA business park at Marlinstown, Mullingar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24737/17]

Early Years Sector

Michael Healy-Rae

643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties in navigating the Pobal online application form (details supplied) for the early years capital grant 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24531/17]

Child and Family Agency

Gerry Adams

644. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 672 of 9 May 2017, when the HIQA governance review of Tusla commenced; when the review will be completed; and her plans to publish its findings. [23995/17]

Child Care Services Regulation

Gerry Adams

645. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 668 of 9 May 2017, the number and location of special care units here; and the number of children or young persons each centre caters for. [24104/17]

Child Care Services Regulation

Gerry Adams

646. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 668 of 9 May 2017, if she will elaborate on the difficulties identified by the Office of the Attorney General in progressing the necessary legislation; if she anticipates further delays in the ongoing legal scrutiny of the legislation; and when the legislation necessary to commence registration of these special care units will be introduced. [24105/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

647. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 9 May 2017, the 5,720 open child cases waiting to be allocated a social worker by county in tabular form; the length of time these cases have been waiting to be allocated a social worker; and the number of these cases that are still waiting to be allocated a social worker. [24106/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

648. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 9 May 2017, the number of whole-time equivalent social workers in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017 in tabular form; the whole-time equivalent social worker target for these years; and the funding that was allocated for the provision of these posts for the years in question. [24107/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

649. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 9 May 2017, if she will elaborate on the meaning of supporting Tusla in the employment of additional social care workers and administrative staff to assist social workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24108/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

650. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 9 May 2017, the cost of providing an allocated social worker to the open cases in question. [24109/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

651. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 669 of 9 May 2017, the steps she has taken to address the recruitment issue identified in her response; the funding which is in place; and her plans to address the defects within the recruitment process. [24110/17]

Child Abuse

Gerry Adams

652. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 670 of 9 May 2017, if she will provide a breakdown of the 841 historical or retrospective cases awaiting allocation of a social worker by county in tabular form; the length of time these cases have been waiting to be allocated social workers; and the number of these cases which are still waiting to be allocated a social worker. [24111/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

653. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 670 of 9 May 2017, the number of the 841 historical or retrospective cases awaiting allocation of a social worker that have been identified as a high priority; the number of these cases which have been referred to An Garda Síochána; and the number of these cases which have been assisted in accessing HSE counselling services. [24112/17]

Child Protection Services Provision

Gerry Adams

654. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 670 of 9 May 2017, if she will clarify the necessary reforms required to address the waiting times for allocation of social workers in these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24113/17]

Child Care Services Staff

Kathleen Funchion

655. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if recommendations in her Department's sustainability audits of community services recommend that services cut pay to child care staff; and if so, the capacity in which, the amount involved and the circumstances in which this was decided. [24120/17]

Child Care Costs

Kathleen Funchion

656. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost under the proposed universal subsidy of increasing the €80 per month subsidy in €20 intervals up to the amount of €600 for all eligible parents. [24165/17]

Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes

Kathleen Funchion

657. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for every level provided within the AIM programme in tabular form. [24166/17]

Early Childhood Care and Education Funding

Kathleen Funchion

658. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the breakdown of level 7 funding between the 10 and 15 hours options allowed within the AIM programme; the amount provided for the total 10-hour allocation and total 15-hour allocation nationally; and the number of children each of those total amounts provide for. [24167/17]

Early Years Sector

Kathleen Funchion

659. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for a review of the early years child care sector; and the Government body that will conduct the review. [24168/17]

Child Care Services Data

Kathleen Funchion

660. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost per year of the ACS in the event that the wage rate for educators is revised from the current proposed wage rate for level 5 educators to €11.50 an hour, €13.00 an hour for level 6 educators and €14.75 an hour for level 7 educators. [24169/17]

Child Care Services Funding

Anne Rabbitte

661. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who will be eligible to participate in the single affordable child care scheme in 2017. [24219/17]

Child Care Services Funding

Anne Rabbitte

662. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who are already eligible for subsidised child care who will be eligible to participate in the single affordable child care scheme in 2017. [24220/17]

Child Care Services Funding

Anne Rabbitte

663. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who are not currently eligible for subsidised child care who will be eligible for a universal subsidy under the single affordable child care scheme in 2017. [24221/17]

Child Care Services Funding

Anne Rabbitte

664. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who are not currently eligible for subsidised child care who will be eligible for a targeted subsidy under the single affordable child care scheme in 2017. [24222/17]

Children in Care

Anne Rabbitte

665. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that there is equal treatment of private and State residential care services for foster children in view of recent changes to payment of overnight staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24288/17]

Youth Work Supports

Anne Rabbitte

666. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason her Department has not published a national strategy on youth work. [24289/17]

Youth Services Funding

Anne Rabbitte

667. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her Department's expenditure on youth service by receiving organisation in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [24290/17]

Children First Guidelines

Thomas P. Broughan

668. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when sections 6 to 17 of the Children First Act 2015 will come into order; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24399/17]

Early Years Strategy Implementation

Brendan Griffin

669. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24403/17]

Child Poverty

Bríd Smith

670. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to ensure children can continue to avail of vital services (details supplied) that are in fact helping to reduce child poverty within very disadvantaged areas of the country as evidenced through poverty deprivation scores. [24411/17]

Child Protection

Bríd Smith

671. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way she will protect the rights of children to ensure that they are not further marginalised through the enactment of new legislation (details supplied). [24412/17]

Child Protection

Ruth Coppinger

672. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on establishing a national network of supervised contact centres in order that access to children can be continued in a safe environment for children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24471/17]

Family Resource Centres

Michael Healy-Rae

673. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of a new family resource centre (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24512/17]

Preschool Services

Kathleen Funchion

674. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 368 of 12 April 2017, the costs of the Tusla early years inspections, the Department of Education and Skills early years inspections and the Pobal compliance visits per year, in tabular form. [24564/17]

Gender Recognition

Mattie McGrath

675. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the research in the area of gender recognition for children that her Department has undertaken; the position regarding the research or consultation process that is being undertaken and if she will name the relevant NGOs or other organisations that are a part of the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24749/17]

Departmental Policy Reviews

Mattie McGrath

676. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the definition of a child that the policy of her Department is guided by; her views on whether such a definition must include the unborn child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24750/17]

Early Years Sector

John Brassil

677. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to re-examine the application process and to review the online application forms for the early years capital programme, in view of the fact that applicants are reporting difficulties with the process and an issue that errors are only made apparent after the form is submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24758/17]

Child Care Services Data

Kathleen Funchion

678. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children under three years of age her Department estimates will take up both private and community crèche-based child care in September 2017; and the number of children under three years of age that attended both private and community crèche-based services from September 2016 to date in 2017. [24762/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Martin Kenny

679. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the capacity of each of the Naval Service patrol vessels (details supplied) to board super trawlers to inspect their catch and methods and ensure their compliance with EU directives and quotas. [24205/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

680. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the date the last survey was carried out on the LÉ Aisling; the survey’s findings regarding the seaworthiness of the vessel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24535/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

681. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of the agreement reached between his Department and Malta when the LÉ Aoife was gifted to the Maltese naval service; when the last survey was carried out on the LÉ Aoife; and the survey’s findings regarding the vessels seaworthiness. [24536/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

682. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of officers, excluding those posted abroad or involved in training and staff courses, who were available for operational duties at home, by month, in 2014 to 2016, inclusive and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [24537/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

683. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of officers who were posted abroad or were participating in training or staff courses in 2014 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [24538/17]

Defence Forces Personnel

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

684. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of recorded suicides of personnel serving in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps from 2010 to date, in tabular form. [24001/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Lisa Chambers

685. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on whether the former Naval Service vessel, the LE Aisling, was sold too cheaply at €110,000 in view of its current resale price of €750,000. [24064/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Michael Healy-Rae

686. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the sale of the former Naval Service vessel, the LE Aisling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24189/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Michael Healy-Rae

687. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the cost to decommission the LE Aisling in order to prepare it for sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24192/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Michael Healy-Rae

688. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the person or body that valued the LE Aisling prior to its sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24193/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Michael Healy-Rae

689. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the cost of maintaining the LE Aisling from when it was decommissioned to the date of its sale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24196/17]

Ministerial Travel

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

690. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the 44 locations to which the Government Learjet travelled to and from in 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [24230/17]

International Agreements

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

691. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Ireland was one of the 27 EU member states that agreed a legal mandate in preparation for an EU military headquarters; the nature of the proposed legal mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24242/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Seán Sherlock

692. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the market research carried out in advance of the sale of the LE Aisling; the number of officials engaged in the market research element of the sale; the way in which the price the ship was sold for was reached; if his attention was drawn to the market research before the sale commenced; the number of officials engaged in the sale process and the expertise of each for such a sale; and his views on whether value for money was secured. [24332/17]

Defence Forces Records

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

693. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on claims in a newspaper (details supplied) that his Department is unable to locate copies of technical reports from the 1990s which raise concerns regarding health and safety conditions at Casement Aerodrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24407/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

David Cullinane

694. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of persons who have left the Defence Forces in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24442/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

David Cullinane

695. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces officers available for duty in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by unit and brigade, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24443/17]

Defence Forces Remuneration

David Cullinane

696. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the pay rates and increment scales for officers in the Defence Forces by grade and rank, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24444/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

David Cullinane

697. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of air traffic controllers and pilots employed by the Air Corps from 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by year and percentage change, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24445/17]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

David Cullinane

698. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of personnel employed by the Air Corps from 2010 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017, by year, rank and office, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24446/17]

Air Corps

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

699. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider removing the ban on non-commissioned officer, NCO, pilots in order to address the pilot shortage, as was done in the 1940s during the Emergency. [24454/17]

Defence Forces Reserve

Brendan Smith

700. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to hold a competition for promotion from captain to commandant within the Reserve Defence Force; if such a competition will be held at an early date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24476/17]

Defence Forces Pensions

Robert Troy

701. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason a person's Defence Forces pension entitlement changes when the recipient turns 66 years of age. [24520/17]

Naval Service Vessels

Thomas Pringle

702. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department or the Naval Service had received a request to donate the decommissioned LÉ Aisling to the Somali fisheries protection authority in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24578/17]

Defence Forces Recruitment

Seán Sherlock

703. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if staff shortages can be alleviated by hiring qualified air traffic controllers as direct entry officers in line with precedent in view of the recent acknowledgment of staffing shortages within the Air Corps, particularly within the air traffic control division. [24589/17]