Written Answers Nos. 290-308
290. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when section 14C of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992, as inserted by section 36 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, will be commenced. [49375/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 14C of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992, as inserted by section 36 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, requires new rules of court in order to be fully implementable. I understand that such rules are currently being drafted and will then be approved by the relevant Rules of Court Committee. The section will be commenced as soon as possible after the finalisation of these rules.
291. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for permission to remain that are held up in his Department awaiting a decision in the Luximon v. Minister for Justice and Equality case; the longest case waiting as a result of this outstanding issue; the status of those awaiting for a decision in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49388/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that persons seeking permission to remain in the State may do so for a number of reasons to various Divisions of the INIS under both statutory and non-statutory provisions. As a result, as the Deputy would expect, every case is considered on its own merits in conjunction with the legislation, criteria or guidelines which are directly applicable to the individual case type.
The issues raised in the court case referred to by the Deputy, which is currently before the Supreme Court, has the potential to generate further sets of legal proceedings and, as such, the INIS deemed it prudent to postpone decision making in certain immigration cases until the matters before the Courts have been finalised.
It is not possible to quantify the numbers of such cases as to do so would require the deployment of a disproportionate level of limited resources to the task. However, the Deputy may wish to be aware that the case referred to is due for hearing on 30th November, 2017.
292. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has received a grant application in relation to a project (details supplied); the amount sought; the timeframe for assessing the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48692/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to in the question is being developed and managed by Cork City Council and the Council is responsible for the delivery of the project.
On 27 September 2017, Cork City Council made an application to my Department for a further grant of €10 million to assist in the development of the project. My Department is now assessing this application.
There are complex legal, state aid and match funding issues to be considered in relation to this application and my Department is engaging with the City Council in relation to these.
293. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which her Department arrived at the decision to give a group (details supplied) the sole power to administer the hunter competence assessment programme; and if she has given consideration to tendering the administration of the contract at stages in view of the fact that the HCAP certification will be mandatory from January 2018. [48693/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that there is currently one national hunter competency course, the Hunter Competence Assessment Programme (HCAP), which is not administered by my Department. It is administered by the group referred to. However, it is my understanding that there are other organisations which are in the process of developing equivalent certification programmes and I welcome this development.
294. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 8 November 2017, her views on the statement that there is no requirement for coursing clubs to publicise coursing trials in view of new conditions added to coursing licences effective from 15 November 2017 (details supplied); and if from 15 November all coursing clubs will be obliged from that date to make known to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, when and the locations in which trials will be held in order that rangers can attend and observe these to ensure compliance with the law. [48728/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra295. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 8 November 2017, if all coursing clubs will be obliged from 15 November 2017 to make known to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, when and the locations in which trials will be held in order that rangers can attend and observe these to ensure compliance with the law. [48729/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 294 and 295 together.
I recently issued a revised licence to the Irish Coursing Club on behalf of its affiliated clubs. The licence, which became effective from 13 November 2017, includes new and revised conditions relating to the reporting of coursing trials. There is now a requirement for the Irish Coursing Club to notify my Department of the dates of coursing trial sessions organised by its affiliated clubs. A number of these trials have already been monitored by officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department.
296. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the preparations made in her Department in the event of no agreement being reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the terms of the UK's exit from the EU; if such preparations involve the drawing up of detailed and specific contingency plans in the event of a hard Brexit and a trade regime based on WTO tariffs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48773/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for Brexit, Minister Coveney has responsibility for co-ordinating the whole-of-Government response to Brexit. In this capacity, he is working closely with his colleagues across Government to address the many challenges resulting from Brexit. This co-operation also involves the relevant State Agencies.
Work at Cabinet level is being prepared through cross-departmental co-ordination structures. These represent a frequent and active channel through which all relevant Departments are providing their research, analysis and overall policy input to the Government’s wider response to Brexit, including its priorities for the ongoing Article 50 negotiations between the EU and the UK.
As the outcome of the negotiations is not yet known, an important focus of the planning and preparation being undertaken through these structures is on deepening the Government’s analysis and understanding of the exact consequences of a range of different possible scenarios. This represents an intensification of efforts to build on the Government‘s contingency planning.
In relation to the work undertaken by my Department with regard to Brexit, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question 586 of 7 November.
The arrangements described in this reply are kept under constant review and will be enhanced as required in light of the ongoing preparations for Brexit
297. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of providing external coaching and-or training services for staff development in her Department over the past five years and to date in 2017, by cost per year, in tabular form; the company that delivered the training courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48802/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is collating the information requested by the Deputy and it will be forwarded to the Deputy in line with the timelines set out in Standing Orders.
298. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of the companies renting a fixing and-or space on telecommunications and-or communications masts from her Department; the income received for each of the past five years for same, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48836/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra299. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the income received by her Department from the renting to companies of space to use and-or take fixings from telecommunications and-or communications masts on site or on the roof of her Department, in each of the past five years, by location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48874/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together.
There is one company that is renting a fixing of a communication mast on land controlled by my Department. The other types of renting options set out in the Questions are not applicable in my Department. The renting arrangement arises in Glenveagh National Park, Co. Donegal and the company is Tetra Ireland Communications Ltd.
As the return to the questions involves only one renting entity, for commercial reasons, I am not in a position to release into the public domain the annual rent that is payable by Tetra to the Department.
300. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the domain names registered to or owned by her Department or through a third party company. [49068/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested my officials to compile a list of the domain names that are registered to my Department and I will forward the information to the Deputy in accordance with the timelines set out in Standing Orders.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
301. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the average costs associated with processing and answering written and oral parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49120/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe input of departmental officials into the responses to Parliamentary Questions is part of their day to day duties in my Department. It is not possible to provide the Deputy with the information sought as it would be difficult to disaggregate the costs associated with officials answering priority, written and oral Parliamentary Questions and consequently, the specific costs are not monitored.
302. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the west of Ireland was not chosen to host the national Famine memorial day 2018 (details supplied); the reason Munster has been chosen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49198/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I have detailed in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 15 November, the decision to hold the National Famine Commemoration for 2018 in University College Cork was taken by the National Famine Commemoration Committee earlier this year in recognition of the University's long tradition of research and study of the Famine, including the publication of the Atlas of the Great Irish Famine and the development of The Great Irish Famine Online to be launched next year. Notwithstanding the particular circumstances applying in 2018, the Committee will continue to have regard to the location of previous events and national impact of the Great Famine in the selection of locations for future commemorations.
303. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta de bhun ceist pharlaiminteach uimhir 392 an 23 Bealtaine 2017 agus ceist pharlaiminteach uimhir 359 an 20 Meán Fómhair 2017, ós rud é go bhfuil an chéad spriocam a gealladh sáraithe agus go bhfuil an dara spriocam beagnach buailte linn, cathain a fhoilseofar an plean gníomhaíochta maidir leis an Straitéis 20 Bliain don tréimhse 2017-2022; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [49256/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDírím aird an Teachta ar an bhfreagra a thug mé ar Cheist Dála Uimhir 359 an 20 Meán Fómhair 2017 faoin ábhar seo. Mar a thug mé le fios sa bhfreagra sin, ós rud é go bhfuil freagracht thras-Rannach i gceist maidir le cur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise, tá plé ar bun ag mo Roinn leis na páirtithe leasmhara éagsúla maidir le spriocanna sonracha agus tráthchlár ina leith a aontú.
Is é nádúr na hoibre seo go dtógann sé am le nithe a aontú. Ní call a rá go bhfuilim ar an airdeall faoin ngá a chinntiú, oiread agus is féidir, go bhfuil fiúntas leis an gclár bearta a mbeifear ag súil leis a chur i dtoll a chéile mar chuid den phlean críochnúil agus tá gá dá réir a chinntiú go bhfuil téagar agus tairbhe le pé bearta a bheidh sa phlean i ndeireadh thiar thall.
Is féidir a bheith cinnte de go leanfar ag obair i gcomhar leis na páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha i dtreo a bheith in ann an plean a fhoilsiú chomh luath in Éirinn agus is féidir.
304. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the criteria used by her for the selection of festivals that were granted State funding under the Creative Ireland budget. [49265/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Creative Ireland Programme is not a funding body and does not administer any specific grant or funding schemes. An enabling budget of €5 m was allocated to implement and promote the Creative Ireland Programme from within the Department in 2017 and to date, a sum of €4m has been expended in this regard.
The opportunity was taken in this initial year of the Programme to engage and collaborate with several key cultural partners at various significant national events and arts festivals in order to promote the objectives and underlying values of this new Programme, and encourage deeper understanding and appreciation of the role of creativity.
Among the considerations used to select key cultural partners was their high-level profile, their prominence as part of the cultural calendar, a definitive creative element to their programme, their track record in delivering an event and their capacity to attract and engage a significant audience. To date a sum of €250,000 has been spent on this element of the Programme.
The overarching aim of this collaborative approach was to promote the Programme as a new major initiative among key groups in the artistic, cultural and creative spheres.
305. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health his plans to reinstate the island allowance for nurses to encourage suitably qualified persons to take such positions on the islands in view of the extra cost of living on the islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49382/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2012, the Department of Expenditure and Reform conducted a review of allowances across the public service. Payment of a number of allowances, including the 'Island Inducement Allowance' was ceased with effect from 1 February 2012. This was pending consideration of whether or not the allowances in question would either continue to be paid, be abolished, or be abolished for "new entrants" only. Following completion of the review process including consideration of the business cases made, the 'Island Inducement Allowance' was confirmed as one of a number of allowances abolished for 'new entrants' in September 2012.
During discussions earlier this year with the INMO and SIPTU consideration was given to reinstating the Island Inducement allowance for new entrant nurses however it was decided that this allowance would not be reinstated. This remains the case.
306. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who requested admission to acute hospital care but returned home due to the fact that the Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles, County Tipperary, is unable to admit them, in each week for the past six months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48695/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
307. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if additional home help services for a person (details supplied) will be sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48699/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
As the Deputy's question relates to an individual case, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
308. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for the pain clinic at Letterkenny University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48701/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
