Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

305. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff deployed full time in his Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17011/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

313. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in his Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16998/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

314. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of staff deployed full time in his Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17014/17]

Departmental Information

Joan Burton

325. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in his Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17010/17]

Departmental Information

Joan Burton

326. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of staff deployed full time in his Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17026/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

347. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in her Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17005/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

348. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of staff deployed full time in her Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17021/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

363. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in her Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16997/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

364. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of staff deployed full time in her Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17013/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

368. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there is a senior official with designated responsibility for Brexit matters in his Department; if so, the grade of the designated official; the funding allocated to the said Brexit unit; the cost to date; the anticipated cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16999/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

369. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of staff deployed full time in his Department in respect of Brexit; if there is a designated section or unit to deal with Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17015/17]

EU Issues

Joan Burton

2. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the European Council in Rome on 26 March 2017. [15509/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joan Burton

7. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on economy, trade and jobs last met. [15510/17]

Corporation Tax Regime

Joan Burton

38. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to recent media reports regarding the report by a charity (details supplied) noting that 16 of the top 20 European banks operating here are paying an effective tax rate of 6% or less and that this is well below the levels outlined by the Government and IDA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16514/17]

Tracker Mortgages

Joan Burton

45. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has satisfied himself that the Central Bank's order to lending banks to return affected customers to an appropriate tracker rate of interest is being addressed; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that banks are free to come up with their own offers of compensation and that many banks are not offering customers effective redress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16371/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

57. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to provide financial support to companies and SMEs that may be adversely affected by Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16374/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

59. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether Ireland is facing unfair competition in attracting banking, insurance and other jobs here as a consequence of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16372/17]

State Banking Sector

Joan Burton

76. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when he expects the partial sale of a bank (details supplied) to be realised; if, in view of the shortage of capital investment here, he will commit to using the funds generated from the sale for essential capital investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16370/17]

Eurozone Issues

Joan Burton

86. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his views as to whether recent comments by the chair of the eurozone finance Ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, that certain eurozone member states spent their money on liquor and women were a reference to countries such as Ireland that were in a troika bailout programme; if so, if he contested these comments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16373/17]

Consumer Protection

Joan Burton

179. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the proposals he is considering to ensure that mortgage holders, tenants and small and medium enterprises that have loans or credit from non-bank lenders or vulture funds are fully protected; if he is considering extending the provisions of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2015 in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16351/17]

Ireland Strategic Investment Fund Management

Joan Burton

180. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding that has been made available through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund for social and affordable housing provision; if he is satisfied with the current rates of interest being charged to borrowers through the fund; if he is reviewing the operation of the mechanisms through which credit is accessed from the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16352/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

181. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the preparations and contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event of a British exit from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16353/17]

Financial Institutions Levy

Joan Burton

182. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a full report on the way in which the annual €150 million banking levy will be calculated as it extends to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16354/17]

Mortgage Arrears Rate

Joan Burton

183. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has requested the Central Bank to procure an independent assessment of the arrears and negative equity loan books of the banks as per the recent programme for Government commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16355/17]

Public Interest Directors

Joan Burton

184. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has ceased appointing new public interest directors to the banks; the reform of the procedures for the appointment of bank directors by the State that is currently being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16356/17]

Fuel Laundering

Joan Burton

185. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to increase enforcement and sanctions for fuel laundering in view of the programme for Government commitment and the estimates in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly report on cross-Border crime of the loss to the Exchequer by fuel fraud to be in the range of €140 million to €260 million per year; if he has met his Northern Irish counterpart on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16357/17]

Tax Code

Joan Burton

186. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when a new tax on sugar drinks will be introduced; the estimated annual yield from such a tax; the rate at which the new tax should be set and the types of drinks included within its scope; the preparation currently being undertaken in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16358/17]

Credit Availability

Joan Burton

187. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance if he has reviewed the most recent quarterly bank watch study from ISME on the ability of small and medium firms to receive loan approval and access to credit; his views on the refusal rate of 35% for requests for credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16359/17]

Corporation Tax Regime

Joan Burton

188. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when the European Commission will make a final report on the tax affairs of a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16360/17]

Banking Sector Regulation

Joan Burton

189. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the discussions his Department has had with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs regarding the establishment of a local public bank network, as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16361/17]

European Investment Bank Loans

Joan Burton

190. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the discussions his Department has had with the European Investment Bank, EIB, and other Government Departments to establish an off balance sheet special purpose vehicle to draw down funding from the EIB to facilitate large scale mixed social and private residential development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16362/17]

Credit Union Regulation

Joan Burton

191. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the progress his Department has made in respect of the EUROSTAT investigation into the establishment by the Government of a bond to finance social housing investment suitable for credit unions to invest their surplus funds in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16363/17]

Help-To-Buy Scheme Data

Joan Burton

192. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the number of applications for the help-to-buy scheme that have been deemed valid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16364/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

193. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the steps the Revenue Commissioners have taken to identify possible customs posts on the Border; the locations that have been examined for these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16365/17]

Departmental Reports

Joan Burton

194. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance when the results of the consultation process into the impact of bogus self-employment arrangements will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16366/17]

Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Negotiations

Joan Burton

195. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken in the interests of protecting Ireland's tax sovereignty in view of the recent developments in respect of the common consolidated tax base; the discussions he has had with his ECOFIN colleagues in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16367/17]

Credit Unions

Joan Burton

196. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the progress he has made in the establishment of the credit union advisory committee; when the first meeting of the implementation group will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16368/17]

Credit Union Services

Joan Burton

197. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the progress his Department has made with the Central Bank on the request by a number of credit unions to expand their debit card and mortgage services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16369/17]

English Language Training Organisations

Joan Burton

271. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if end of course exams are a mandatory requirement for visa required students on interim list of eligible programmes, ILEP listed courses; if schools are asked to provide evidence of course work completed; if students are presented with certification of exam results: if such information is provided to his Department and to An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16505/17]

Local Authority Housing Rents

Joan Burton

312. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the nationwide harmonisation of rents for local authority tenants; the studies his Department has conducted on this; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16140/17]

Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility

Joan Burton

315. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the outcome to persons' status on the social housing list as a consequence of taking up the housing assistance payment scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16169/17]

Asylum Support Services

Joan Burton

17. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has received legal advice as to Ireland's and the United States' obligations to refugees under the Geneva Convention. [15512/17]

Schools Building Contractors

Joan Burton

151. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the successful contractor for the Maynooth education campus project, Maynooth, County Kildare, has responded to the letter of intent issued by Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB; if the KWETB has issued a letter of acceptance to the contractor; when contracts will be signed; when work will commence on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15805/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Joan Burton

207. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 8% of all persons requiring an endoscopy here are on the waiting list at Naas General Hospital, County Kildare; his views on whether this exceptional waiting figure is due to the delay in providing the new endoscopy unit at the hospital; if he will address this waiting list by providing funding to transfer persons waiting for endoscopy to private hospitals to reduce waiting times; if he will ensure that the new endoscopy unit at Naas General Hospital is included in the revised capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15806/17]

Government-Church Dialogue

Joan Burton

3. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meetings with church leaders and faith communities. [15507/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

70. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the position regarding the establishment of an all-island dialogue to deal with issues arising from Brexit. [15511/17]

Third Level Staff

Joan Burton

147. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an existing employee within a publicly funded third level institution when transferring roles within the same third level institution is subject to new entrant public service terms and conditions in their new role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14840/17]

School Playgrounds

Joan Burton

187. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he is taking to assist a school (details supplied) to acquire essential space required for children to have a sufficient outdoor play area, which is essential for the 610 pupils in the school; if he will reach an agreement in partnership with Fingal County Council to make provision for this vitally needed space; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15397/17]

Public Sector Staff

Joan Burton

291. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when an employee transfers within a public sector organisation to take up a new post, if he or she is subject to the new entrant public service terms in the new role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14841/17]

Low Pay Commission Remit

Joan Burton

569. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to widen the remit of the Low Pay Commission and to task it to examine CEO pay, specifically, the highest and lowest paid CEOs and the median and average pay of CEOs; if she will undertake a comparison to that of employees and workers in this regard and include incentives additional to pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14897/17]