Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Electric Vehicle Grants

Catherine Murphy

14. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on progress towards the 2020 target for electric vehicle use in the State; the number of EV charge points that have been installed by location and type of charge point in each year since 2008; the number of charge points that have been installed by Electric Ireland at private dwellings, by county; if it is likely that the 2020 target will be met; the additional supports he has planned to boost take-up; if his Department has had any discussions with a company (details supplied) with regard to the deployment of their vehicles in the Irish market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3892/15]

Fish Producer Organisations

Catherine Murphy

84. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the various roles of fishing producer organisations; the oversight and control exercised over them; in what circumstances a fishing producer organisation will be excluded and-or disqualified from its role under the Common Fisheries Policy or other legislative provisions; the circumstances in which they will be shut down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4249/15]

Legislative Measures

Catherine Murphy

85. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the European and international legislative provisions and relevant sections of same under which fishing producer organisations operating here operate; if he will provide and list the associated provisions and sections of same in legislation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4250/15]

Legislative Measures

Catherine Murphy

86. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the State’s regulation of fishing producer organisations, if he will provide specific administrative arrangements or legislative specifications which differ from those in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4251/15]

Fish Producer Organisations

Catherine Murphy

87. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if membership of a fishing producer organisation is at individual boat level; if not, the level at which it is assigned; if he will identify any legislative provision here specifying this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4252/15]

Fish Producer Organisations

Catherine Murphy

88. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria which must be met to qualify as a member of a fishing producer organisation; the legislative provisions specifying this; the categories of membership for fishing producer organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4253/15]

Fish Producer Organisations

Catherine Murphy

89. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the information provided to the European Commission on fish producer organisations concerning their funding, quota allocation, membership and landings; if he will provide a copy of the most recent set of such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4254/15]

Irish Water Funding

Catherine Murphy

3. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the details of the funding model of Irish Water; the net income from the model annually broken down by category; the estimation of households in the State that Irish Water is relying on to determine the full cost of the €100 allowance and the cost in each year up to 2019; the plans of Irish Water to engage any supplementary measures such as borrowing to augment income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3675/15]

Unfinished Housing Developments

Catherine Murphy

9. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to initiate any legislative reform to address the continued difficulties that exist in the taking in charge of estates where outstanding issues have not been addressed; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that with construction activity increasing the need for these measures has never been greater; if he proposes to tackle the problems caused by extended permissions making it impossible for estates to be taken in charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3610/15]

Planning Issues

Catherine Murphy

18. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress of the planning review of the performance of planning functions reopened by his Department in July 2013; when it is likely to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3611/15]

Housing Data

Catherine Murphy

27. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to the annual planning statistics produced by his Department, the reason the number of planning decisions taken nationally where the decision differs from the recommendation of the planner officer jumped from an average of just 400 per year between 2003 and 2007 to an average of 5,600 per year between 2010 and 2012 with particularly high differences recorded in counties Cork, Donegal, Kildare, Meath and Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3609/15]

Homelessness Strategy

Catherine Murphy

29. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the objectives agreed at the homelessness conference which took place in his Department in December 2014; the progress on each of the agreed points to emerge from that conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/15]

Parliamentary Party Allowances Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

56. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide, in tabular format, the total amounts paid to each qualifying political party in respect of annual Exchequer payments under the Electoral Acts in each of the years 2012, 2013 and 2014; the fixed payment amount each year; the variable amount in each case and the way this was calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3953/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Catherine Murphy

118. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has allocated the planned expansion of social housing across each local authority in the State; the criteria being used to determine the greatest need and to ensure a fair demographic spread of the extra investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3676/15]

School Enrolments

Catherine Murphy

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on establishing a forum on school enrolment in north Kildare considering the major obstacles which have arisen in recent years; her views on whether such a forum is useful in establishing a full appreciation of parental choice in the area; if it will assist in achieving greater diversity, particularly with regard to Gaelscoil provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3370/15]

Schools Data

Catherine Murphy

130. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will demonstrate the figures which her Department is relying on to determine forward planning in north Kildare, in particular with regard to achieving a balanced diversity of choice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3372/15]

Ministerial Travel

Catherine Murphy

164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will itemise the exact cost of the Irish delegation's attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in each of the past three years and the estimated cost for 2015; if all such costs will be broken down by admittance-ticket price per attendee, accommodation costs, travel costs, including use of the Government jet, food and entertainment costs, security costs; the number of persons that had all or part of the cost of their attendance covered by the State in each of the past three years and in 2015. [3708/15]

Climate Change Policy

Catherine Murphy

538. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason his Department considers it appropriate to include a timeframe of up to 2017 for the preparation and implementation of the national and sectoral mitigation plans under the proposed Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency projects that domestic non-ETS emissions will exceed the former EU 2020 targets from 2016 on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3719/15]

Legislative Programme

Catherine Murphy

539. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he anticipates publishing planning legislation that will introduce greater certainty and obligations with regard to bonds and securities which are required by a planning authority as part of a permission; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are many cases where a bond has expired or cannot be activated to help complete unfinished estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3720/15]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide a front-line service for those living in towns where no community welfare officer is in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3182/15]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

53. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to enable front-line staff to triage applications for benefit related schemes made by the public, ensuring applicants do not spend months waiting on a decision for a scheme for which they should not have made application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3183/15]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

54. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to manage community staff resources where staff move to other areas internally or externally through job progression, retirement or ill health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3184/15]

Financial Services Ombudsman

Catherine Murphy

80. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a significant number of persons who made investments during a time when the economy was very healthy and some banks engaged in irresponsible lending practices, and who now find that they fall foul of the six-year limitation period placed upon complaints that can be registered with the Financial Services Ombudsman (details supplied); if he will amend legislation to extend this period and further resource the office of the FSO to support this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3217/15]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Catherine Murphy

207. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the upgrade to insulation of social housing stock; if he has prepared a targeted plan for the retrofit of the worst affected housing; if he will provide a table of intended retrofit projects by town and by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3185/15]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Catherine Murphy

208. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations on local authorities to ensure that the building energy rating is improved in social housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3186/15]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Catherine Murphy

209. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations that lie with local authorities in relation to repairs for housing stock, targets and standards for resolving issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3187/15]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Catherine Murphy

210. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if damp that is occurring in social housing stock is an issue that should be dealt with by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3188/15]

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Catherine Murphy

21. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views on the optimum number or range of beds in the public system; the current number of available beds; the demographic projections taken into consideration when determining the optimum deployment of beds around the country; the way the existence of centres of excellence at major hospitals has impacted on the general medical services historically provided at those hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2411/15]

Hospital Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

42. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the way the current staffing situation at Naas General Hospital, County Kildare, is being addressed; if his attention has been drawn to serious shortfalls in resources and staffing capability; the long-term investment plan for the hospital in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2389/15]

Tax Collection

Catherine Murphy

109. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if there has been a change in the rules regarding the Revenue Commissioners' correspondence with the TAIN-registered agent or representative of a customer; the reasons the Revenue Commissioners may cite to refuse to correspond with such an agent or representative in respect of a person's tax affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3033/15]

Small and Medium Enterprises Supports

Catherine Murphy

116. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the annual fees mandated by the Irish Tax Institute that can in some cases cause severe financial hardship for smaller and solo CTA operators; if, in view of the Government's objective to support small and medium enterprises, he will raise this matter with the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3002/15]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Catherine Murphy

166. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) who requires urgent surgery has not yet received confirmation of this surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2996/15]

Hospital Beds Data

Catherine Murphy

169. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the total number of publicly-funded beds available in each acute hospital in the State for each year from 1985 to date in 2015; the total number of privately-funded beds available in the State for the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3009/15]

Hospital Beds Data

Catherine Murphy

170. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the total number of inactive, unfunded beds which currently exist in each acute hospital here; the same figure in each of the past eight years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3010/15]

Hospital Beds Data

Catherine Murphy

171. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the total number of critical care beds which are available in each acute hospital in the State at present; the number of such beds which are unfunded and inactive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3012/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Expenditure

Catherine Murphy

172. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount of money that has been derived from the fair deal nursing home scheme in each year of its operation; the total cost of implementing the scheme in the same period; the average cost per person and average intake per person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3013/15]

Home Care Packages Provision

Catherine Murphy

174. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a shortage in availability of agency nurses trained in the correct management of tracheotomies; the measures he will take to address same; the total number of respite and home care package situations which the Health Service Executive is utilising agency nurses for; the total number of these which require training in tracheotomy application and supervision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3017/15]

School Enrolments Data

Catherine Murphy

203. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of prospective pupils whose parents have indicated a preference to attend three primary schools (details supplied) in County Kildare in September 2015, September 2016, September 2017, September 2018 and September 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2986/15]

School Enrolments Data

Catherine Murphy

204. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide figures in respect of each year in the past five years on the total number of intake students at primary level in north Kildare who commenced in a Gaelscoil; the total numbers whose parents had indicated a preference for a Gaelscoil education but did not secure a place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2993/15]

School Patronage

Catherine Murphy

205. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way her Department has measured school diversity in Kildare North in terms of facilitating the major prevailing preferences of parents; the types of schools her Department has identified at this stage as being the likely ones to need more investment to meet this demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2994/15]

School Patronage

Catherine Murphy

206. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used by her Department in measuring choice with regard to school models; the way diversity, co-education, cultural diversity and multilingualism are factored in; if she will provide an update on the reform of patronage models; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2998/15]

School Enrolments Data

Catherine Murphy

207. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 854 of 14 January 2015, if she will provide a copy of the nationwide demographic review on primary school places; if she will share the data with regard to north Kildare and the reasoning by which the Department has come to the conclusions that it has; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3008/15]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Catherine Murphy

112. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason the terms of reference for the commission of investigation into mothers and baby homes and certain related matters do not cover former Magdalen institutions and adoptions which occurred at State hospitals during the relevant periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2201/15]

Child Protection Services Provision

Catherine Murphy

115. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children that are currently waiting to be allocated a social worker; the number of these that are high priority and emergency; if he will provide a breakdown in tabular format of the number of each of these that have been waiting for less than six months, between six months and one year, between one year and 18 months, between 18 months and two years and longer than two years; the number of social workers that are employed at present; the number of these that are on maternity leave; his plans to address the shortfalls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2189/15]

Courts Service Data

Catherine Murphy

323. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of court exemption orders that were issued to permit a marriage where one or both of the spouses were below the age of 18 years in 2010 to 2014, inclusive; her plans for legislative changes in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2435/15]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

59. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason short-term employment contracts based in her Department are being offered to persons who are engaged in short-term contracts in other Departments, and consequently cannot accept those positions even though they may only have two or three weeks left on their existing contract; the reason this is marked as a rejection of an offer against them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2104/15]

Departmental Staff Data

Catherine Murphy

60. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of employees of her Department, who were engaged on short-term contracts, that opted to take extra payment in lieu of holiday entitlement accrued at the expiration of their contracts in each of the past three years; the proportion of all employees hired on short-term contracts over this period who opted to do so; if her attention has been drawn to any specific policy within her Department which may serve to encourage persons not to take holiday time accrued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2105/15]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

81. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a serious problem exists within the processes of the Public Appointments Service whereby persons who are working short-term contracts with one Department are being offered contracts with different Departments before the completion of their current contract, that, as a consequence of not being in a position to accept such offers, the PAS record this as a rejection of an offer, which carries a number of consequences for the person concerned; the reason it is possible for this error to repeatedly occur; if he will commit to compensate in some fashion those who have been forced into this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2103/15]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Catherine Murphy

82. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason a person (details supplied) was offered a 12 week contract of employment with the Department of Social Protection even though they were at the time engaged on a 15 week contract with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and had three weeks remaining; the reason, even though they were obviously not in a position to accept the Department of Social Protection's offer, this was recorded as a rejection within the PAS system; the consequences this has had for their future employment opportunities; if he will review this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2110/15]

Banks Recapitalisation

Catherine Murphy

166. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if it is still his policy to seek retrospective recapitalisation of formerly guaranteed institutions; the progress made to date; his views on comments made last month (details supplied) that the health of such banks now points towards a partial selling off of Government stakes; if this course of action is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1648/15]