Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Irish Water Remit

Catherine Murphy

591. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the precise statutory provision which enables Irish Water to charge a connection fee for the connection of new developments to a public water main and-or sewer, which replaced the former power of local authorities to charge development contributions in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8159/15]

Garda Strength

Catherine Murphy

27. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in 2014 and 2015, almost 200 gardaí will have availed of the incentivised career break scheme, as set out in the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2016, and those figures are being counted as actively serving officers when Garda staffing levels are reported; if this is misleading; if she will commit to including such figures in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7120/15]

Legislative Process

Catherine Murphy

29. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the extreme delay in advancing the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012; the reason the legal advice from the Attorney General pertaining to an ongoing legal case in the United Kingdom has been deemed sufficient to halt the legislative progress of the Bill, when the case in question would not be covered by the terms of the Bill as drafted; if she will outline a timeframe for the resumption of the Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6972/15]

Special Educational Needs Data

Catherine Murphy

181. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with special needs who are being brought to and from school by bus, in situations where a place is not provided for, or available, in their local school; the cost of providing such transport in 2014; the number of children involved in 2014; if an evaluation was done to predict special education needs, in order to provide, as locally as possible, a school space, and reduce long commutes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7512/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

183. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) in County Kildare will be assisted in accessing specialised education to assist with their needs, as the student is currently attending mainstream playschool, with the support of a teaching assistant, and would benefit from a more specialised environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7548/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

184. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will locate the funds to re-open a special needs playschool (details supplied) in County Kildare that was closed down in June 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7549/15]

Planning Issues

Catherine Murphy

193. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 18 of 28 January 2015, when the findings and outcomes of the investigations, under the planning review of the performance of planning functions, will be released; if he has received a copy of the finished report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7410/15]

Planning Issues

Catherine Murphy

196. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legal status of the recently published Planning Policy Statement 2015 (details supplied); his plans to issue a ministerial policy directive to planning authorities, under section 29 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7472/15]

Data Protection

Catherine Murphy

471. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 162 of 11 February 2015, if the Data Protection Commissioner has raised concerns with her Department regarding the primary online database; if so, if she will make these concerns known, her Department's response and the measures intended as a consequence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7162/15]

Water Meters Installation

Catherine Murphy

502. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the requirement that 25% of employed sub-contractors, under the regional water meter installation contracts, should come from the live register has been complied with; the percentage to date; if the contracts remain valid if this figure has not been attained; its implications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6928/15]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Catherine Murphy

29. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the Government's position on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations; how he plans to address concerns that the main goal of the partnership is to remove regulatory barriers which restrict the potential profits to be made by transnational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic; and his views that by doing so, the partnership will undermine Irish sovereignty by giving global corporations the right to sue the Irish Government should it bring in policies and/or rules which these corporations may consider restrict their ability to engage in business, such as worker’s rights and wages, health and safety, food standards, genetically modified organisms, toxic chemicals, digital privacy, and new banking safeguards to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis. [2467/15]

Common Agricultural Policy Reform

Catherine Murphy

127. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the submission that is proposed from Ireland to the European Union Commission on the new Common Agricultural Policy, including measures to simplify payments or processes; the timeframes for same; the consultation process to support same; the reason there appears to have been no formal consultation call; the mechanisms for making submissions to his Department and-or the European Commission and the contact points proposed; the specific proposals which Ireland is considering at this time, and the rationale for same; when any submission or draft will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6452/15]

Common Agricultural Policy Reform

Catherine Murphy

128. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process that his Department is undertaking in respect of the recording and updating of hedgerow, ditch and buffer zones; the process where these areas are being considered as an ecological focus area in the new Common Agricultural Policy; the timeframes for same; the process for updating this data; the control and oversight and verification mechanisms in place to ensure the accuracy of the final data set and to ensure mature established hedgerows important for biodiversity are recognised and protected; the consultation there has been on the process; the cross-compliance implications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6453/15]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

12. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Public Appointment Service does not keep track of the status of applicants for temporary clerical officer positions; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, for the minimal effort to record such information, large efficiency savings can be made and offers of employment can be sent to those who are in a position to accept at the time the offers are made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5741/15]

Pupil Data Collection

Catherine Murphy

154. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that the collection of data concerning primary school children for the primary online database is legally permissible; the way schools have gathered and processed sensitive personal data, as defined under the Data Protection Acts 1988 - 2003; the way this has been done in a manner consistent with statutory obligations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6275/15]

Pupil Data Collection

Catherine Murphy

155. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way it is legally permissible for schools to gather and process the personal data of primary school children for a purpose other than the purpose for which the data has been collected; if she will categorically list the purposes for which data is being collected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6276/15]

Pupil Data Collection

Catherine Murphy

156. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that capitation grants and staffing resources are linked to the provision by parents of personal information regarding their children to schools for the primary online database; that there is an inherent coercion in this, in that schools feel obliged to gather and process this information, for fear of losing funding; if this places the schools in an invidious position considering their statutory obligations, as data controllers, under the provisions of the Data Protection Acts 1088-2003; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6277/15]

Schools Data

Catherine Murphy

157. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views that the creation of the primary online database without the protection of the provisions of the Statistics Act 1996 is an appropriate method of gathering and processing the personal data of primary school children. [6278/15]

Pupil Data Collection

Catherine Murphy

158. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that her Department has instructed schools to make a copy of the personal data collected and processed for the purposes of populating the primary online database; to store and process it on site; the way such actions could possibly meet the security requirements as mandated by data protection legislation, and the way she has satisfied herself of this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6279/15]

Pupil Data Collection

Catherine Murphy

162. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has been cognisant of concerns arising from the Data Protection Commissioner as far back as 2010 over the collection of personal information regarding students (details supplied); if she will provide a detailed copy of the legal opinion which her Department has utilised to justify the present primary online database scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6322/15]

Genealogical Services

Catherine Murphy

132. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans, once access to the records and indexes in the Government Records Office, GRO, is made available at www.irishgenealogy.ie, to provide free access, without charge, to these records and indexes, just as records currently accessible at the site are; what the fee regime will be if not; if she will acknowledge that the introduction of a fee for access to full records would present a serious impediment to the accessible, open nature of the site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5598/15]

National Cultural Institutions

Catherine Murphy

134. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide details of how the recently announced extra €2 million funding for the national cultural institutions is to be distributed; the basis on which the formula for distributing the funds was agreed; if need assessments have been carried out; if so, if she will publish the findings and details of the specific needs being targeted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5600/15]

Departmental Strategies

Catherine Murphy

138. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Question No. 621 of 18 December 2014, if her Department is now in a position to publish the finalised national landscape strategy; the expected timeframe towards implementation of the strategy; if it remains her opinion that no legislative changes will be required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5506/15]

Wildlife Conservation

Catherine Murphy

140. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will confirm that all outstanding matters brought by the European Commission against Ireland concerning the State’s transposition and implementation of the birds directive, details supplied, relating to the protection of endangered birds have been resolved; the measures that have been put in place to ensure implementation; if fines have accrued against Ireland; if so, the amount; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5507/15]

National Heritage Plan

Catherine Murphy

149. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there has been no national heritage plan in place since 2007; the reason this is the case; her views on introducing a new plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5510/15]

National Archives

Catherine Murphy

151. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the fact that the spend on the storage of records intended for the National Archives in 2013 was, at minimum, €1,227,807, her views on reviewing the current abilities of the staff of the National Archives of Ireland to properly catalogue, digitise and store these records, in an effort to reduce both pre-cataloguing storage costs and to reduce potential degradation of records; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5509/15]

Census of Population Publication

Catherine Murphy

155. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on the digitisation project for the 1926 census which would deliver online access similar to the 1901 and 1911 records; the estimated cost involved; the specific challenges which must be overcome; the staffing required; if space will be provided at the National Archives of Ireland; if industry stakeholders have been consulted; when it is envisaged the project will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5508/15]

Departmental Offices

Catherine Murphy

180. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the serious concerns of stakeholders regarding the current location of the General Register Office, the unsuitability of the current facilities; the need to urgently relocate the office to a location that reflects its cultural and genealogical significance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5680/15]

Defence Forces Operations

Catherine Murphy

323. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the extent of co-operation that the G2 Directorate of Intelligence undertakes with other intelligence agencies; if he will list the multinational surveillance programmes which the State is involved with or contributes to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5934/15]

Garda Career Breaks Data

Catherine Murphy

339. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda personnel in each Division who availed of a three-year career break in each year during which the facility was available; the number expected to return to their positions and when; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5706/15]

Genealogical Services

Catherine Murphy

647. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide the timeframe for the full implementation of the all-island approach, including a timeframe for all the measures involved, in facilitating genealogical research and heritage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5599/15]

National Archives

Catherine Murphy

648. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in cataloguing the 70,000 boxes of uncatalogued material in the possession of the National Archives; the number of staff that have been assigned to this task; the number of new staff hired to assist in this work; if she will highlight all cases of record degradation that she has been made aware of; her views on the present quality and physical integrity of the records in storage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5601/15]

Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge

Catherine Murphy

651. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the consultations her Department has had with the Department of Education and Skills relating to the 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, specifically with regard to the State’s support for gaelscoileanna and gaelcholáistí; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5678/15]

Commemorative Events

Catherine Murphy

652. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on the consultation process regarding the 1916 commemoration; the funding that will be made available; the specific projects that are under consideration; the timeframe for implementation of the commemoration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5679/15]

Hedge Cutting Season

Catherine Murphy

667. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a review of section 40 of the Wildlife Act, as amended, or any regulations under the same Act, has taken place, or is under way; the purpose of this review; the purpose of the consultation which took place over the Christmas 2014 period on section 40 of the Act; if amending legislation is planned to be moved, as a consequence, or if a new ministerial order is envisaged; the timeframe envisaged for same; if she will provide all ministerial orders and requests made under the terms of the Act in 2014 and to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6126/15]

Water Conservation Grant

Catherine Murphy

6. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to her Department of administering the water conservation grant; the number of staff who have been taken on or it is intended are to be taken on; the total supplementary funding sought in relation to administering the scheme; the anticipated transaction costs of handling the various methods by which the grant shall be awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4980/15]

Local Employment Service

Catherine Murphy

30. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that funding for the County Kildare local employment service network has dropped by over 60% in 2015 compared to 2014; if her attention has been drawn to the enormous impact this will have on the ability of persons to get back to work, at variance with her stated aims of moving persons off social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4973/15]

Departmental Policy Reviews

Catherine Murphy

75. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason citizens who avail of the services of her Department are referred to throughout departmental communications and publications as customers; her views that such nomenclature originates in an ideological mindset more disposed towards a vision of a market-oriented society and, as such, is perhaps unnecessary for a Department whose primary role is to maintain a social floor and more cohesive and equal society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5303/15]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

145. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason employees holding prison administration and support officer grades are deemed ineligible to apply for vacancies for Civil Service grades in other Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5184/15]

Prison Staff

Catherine Murphy

181. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason employees holding prison administration and support officer grades are deemed ineligible to apply for vacancies for Civil Service grades in her Department; her views on altering the rules to permit such applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5309/15]

Local Authority Housing Data

Catherine Murphy

265. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers of local authority dwellings by building energy rating in each local authority area in the State in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5271/15]

Local Authority Housing

Catherine Murphy

266. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the numbers of grant applications for home energy retrofit of local authority dwellings approved in each local authority area in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; the total amount spent in each year towards these grants; the total contribution in each year from local authority resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5273/15]

Local Authority Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

267. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the most recently available numbers of whole-time equivalent staffing in each local authority in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5274/15]

Local Authority Housing Data

Catherine Murphy

268. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government using the most recently available data, if he will provide, in tabular form, the total number of local authority dwellings in each local authority in the State; the proportion of such dwellings in each area which are single bed, two-bed, three-bed, four-bed or more than four-bed; the proportion of such dwellings in each area which are detached, semi-detached, terraced, apartment or other; the proportion of such dwellings in each area which were built prior to 1930, between 1930 and 1949, between 1950 and 1969, between 1970 and 1989, between 1990 and 2000 and after 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5275/15]

Local Authority Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

273. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the effect the present recruitment embargo has had over the past number of years upon the ability of local authorities to deliver their services effectively; if he will highlight the local authorities which have most suffered as a result of staffing shortages; the measures he has proposed to address these high-pressure areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5305/15]

IBRC Operations

Catherine Murphy

30. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 220 of 16 December 2014, if he will indicate if, notwithstanding the commercial independence of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation at the time, his Department endeavoured to query the reason such a large loss to the State, amounting to over €100 million, was permitted to happen in the sale of the company concerned (details supplied); if not, the reason his Department was not concerned that such a large loss had occurred when the clear objective of IBRC was to maximise the return to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4700/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Catherine Murphy

155. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) in County Kildare cannot be facilitated in an appropriate second level school closer than 50 km from that child's home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5088/15]

Climate Change Negotiations

Catherine Murphy

132. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport now that the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill has been published, his Department's response in terms of the preparation of a sectoral emissions reduction plan; if he plans to prepare a draft plan in anticipation of the national adaptation plan; if such a plan will be left until the latter end of the 2017 timescale envisaged in the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4337/15]

Road Projects

Catherine Murphy

146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to confirm funding for the upgraded M7 Naas-Osberstown interchange and Sallins bypass; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this stretch of motorway is the most dangerous in the State in terms of incidents recorded annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4347/15]

Community Welfare Services Provision

Catherine Murphy

226. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection whether front-line services provided by her Department to the individual citizen have suffered dramatically, given that many urban centres are without community welfare officer access and rely instead on a telephone number which is often not answered; whether she is aware that many persons attempting to make contact with CWOs are doing so in distressing situations; whether communication with these citizens has fallen to an unacceptable level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5024/15]