Parliamentary questions

Horizon 2020 Strategy Implementation

Andrew Doyle

261. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his approach towards achieving our Horizon 2020 targets of €1.2 billion; the projected breakdown for microenterprise and small and medium enterprises; the strategy to streamline the process to achieve these targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18990/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

692. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Adoption Authority of Ireland has completed its consideration of the submissions from Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency and Arc Adoption for funding to act as accredited agencies for inter-country adoption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18898/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

693. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has received and considered submissions from the Adoption Authority of Ireland identifying 23 areas for change in the Adoption Act 2010 and if she will provide an outline of any planned legislation changes in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18899/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

694. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered any changes in how bilateral agreements for the purposes of inter-country adoption are established with Ireland as a receiving country; if she has had any discussion with the Adoption Authority of Ireland in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18900/14]

EU Issues

Andrew Doyle

148. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline Ireland's position at the Committee of Permanent Representatives and-or the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels during other meetings in recent years during discussions at EU level on increasing the number of judges at the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg; if Ireland agreed to increase the number of judges based on merit, regardless of their member state; or if Ireland took the position to stay with the spirit of Article 19(2) of the Treaty on European Union, of one judge per member state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18040/14]

Planning Issues

Andrew Doyle

397. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the progress of large-scale offshore wind development close to the east coast; if, in view of the period of time that has elapsed since then, the granting of developments will be reviewed to ascertain whether an acceptable alternative that is more aesthetic in design can be evaluated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17702/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure

Andrew Doyle

443. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the internal capital receipts collected for the provision of social housing in Wicklow-east Carlow will be ring-fenced for housing projects in the local areas where they were collected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17923/14]

Homeless Accommodation Funding

Andrew Doyle

444. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government since the pathway accommodation and support system was extended nationally in 2013, the amount of funding that has been allocated for the provision of permanent accommodation and services for homeless persons; the amount of money that has been allocated for emergency shelter accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17924/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Andrew Doyle

445. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the current housing shortage, if he has definite proposals for the Wicklow-east Carlow region to carry out an assessment of the land available which could be utilised for social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17925/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Andrew Doyle

446. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the urgent lack of suitable housing accommodation in the Wicklow-east Carlow catchment area, if his Department will consider lifting the embargo and allow the relevant local authority to commence building again in order to alleviate the current housing crisis affecting the eastern region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17926/14]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Andrew Doyle

448. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Wicklow County Council will receive 2014 funding for housing adaptation grants, for works completed to date, works in progress and to facilitate priority 1 category cases, which include terminally ill people or those who are mainly dependent on family or a carer and where alterations-adaptations would facilitate discharge from hospital or alleviate hospitalisation in the future, and who have already been assessed as having an urgent medical need for housing adaptations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17960/14]

Housing Adaptation Grant Funding

Andrew Doyle

449. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Wicklow County Council will receive its 2014 funding allocation for housing adaptation grants in order for a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who is suffering from progressive motor neuron disease to remain in their home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17961/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

551. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of assessments that have been completed by the Health Service Executive and any other bodies for the purposes of inter-country adoption from 2000 to 2013; if she will provide a breakdown of the figures for each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17653/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

552. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the sending countries, with associated numbers, for pre-Hague declaration inter-country adoptions into Ireland since November 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17654/14]

Adoption Services Provision

Andrew Doyle

553. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the staffing numbers of the Adoption Authority since its inception, showing the increase or decrease in staff numbers since the authority was founded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17655/14]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Andrew Doyle

554. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to extend the lifetime of post-Hague declarations of eligibility and suitability for the purposes of inter-country adoption in view of the lengthy delays inherent in the process due to lack of countries from which Irish applicants may process an adoption; if she has had any discussions with the Adoption Authority in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17656/14]

Adoption Services Provision

Andrew Doyle

555. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the length of time currently taken for the Adoption Authority to issue a declaration of eligibility and suitability from the time it receives the required documentation from the local adoption committee. [17657/14]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Andrew Doyle

626. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if omega 3, including lutein, has been recommended and prescribed by general practitioners and opthalmologists to help with age related macular degeneration; if it will be included on the list of drugs allowed for medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17799/14]

Arms Trade

Andrew Doyle

67. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when his Department was made aware that by signing the Arms Trade Treaty in 2013 that they needed an EU decision by the Council in order to ratify it, in view of the fact that the treaty covered an area not within the competence of member states, but rather an exclusive competence of the EU; in view of the fact that the EU approval has been given, when he expects Ireland to be in a position to deposit the ratification instruments with the United Nations in New York; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16489/14]

Irish Communities Abroad

Andrew Doyle

68. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he intends to incorporate the recently announced Diaspora policy review by his Department into the review of foreign affairs and external relations; if they will be exclusive of each other when the policy documents and-or White Papers are published in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16490/14]