Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

395. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way she plans to ensure arts funding is used to ensure minority and new Irish voices are heard as part of cultural output. [11685/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

396. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to support the development of the creative industries sector; if she has reviewed the report from the previous Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the hearings in relation to Examining the Potential for Job Creation, Innovation and Balanced Economic Development in the Creative Economy; and if she will implement the recommendations of the report in tandem with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [11686/17]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

397. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has liaised with the Minister for Education and Skills on the development of contemporary art education at primary and secondary level in schools. [11688/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

398. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop a national cultural strategy up to 2025. [11689/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

399. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to develop musical education and instruments available to young persons and the general population through facilitating schools, youth groups and libraries in enhancing their music resources and the provision of access to musical training and instruments for the benefit of local communities. [11690/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

400. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has examined proposals to facilitate on a national basis the use of vacant retail premises by exhibiting artists, based on successful schemes such as (details supplied) which uses empty retail units to support local artists. [11691/17]

Heritage Promotion

Joan Burton

401. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if her Department will examine a nationwide plan for the development of village design statements that would ensure all future planning and development takes full cognisance of the historic character and protect the character and heritage of villages. [11692/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

402. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will work with the Minister for Health to develop and roll out an arts and health strategy across acute and children’s hospitals and across the community health sector; and the other innovative approaches being considered to use the arts as a means to promote wellbeing across society. [11694/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

403. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action she is taking with her Government colleagues to systematically address social, geographic and economic barriers to full participation in the artistic and cultural life of the country, particularly for children and young persons. [11695/17]

Arts in Education Charter

Joan Burton

404. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans in place to ensure the better integration of the arts into education and broadening the focus on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) into science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM); and if she will expand the ambition and resourcing of the Arts and Education Charter and continue to work with the Department of Education and Skills to further enhance the position of arts subjects within the curriculum at primary and secondary level. [11696/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

405. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will begin preparation of the global arts forum for Ireland, similar to the structure of the global Irish economic forum, which would highlight indigenous talent and map a strong and healthy future for arts and culture at home and abroad. [11697/17]

Departmental Functions

Joan Burton

406. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if Arts, Heritage and Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is the title of her Department and if she anticipates there will be any further changes to the name of her Department or her Department’s functions; the sections of staff which have been assigned or transferred between Departments as a consequence of changes to her ministerial and departmental structure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11698/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

407. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the role she will have in the Government’s post-Brexit strategy, in view of her responsibility for regional affairs and the potential negative impact of Brexit on the Border area; if she has a specific unit in her Department to deal with the impact of Brexit on the Border region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11700/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

408. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on the recent comments by the outgoing artistic director of the Gate Theatre (details supplied) that the Arts Council should be getting three or four times the amount it receives from the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11701/17]

Arts Funding

Joan Burton

409. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the approach she is taking to ensure that the €50 million spent in 2017 on commemoration will be retained in the arts budget for 2017 for the benefit of the arts and culture nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11702/17]

Arts Promotion

Joan Burton

410. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will appoint an expert panel of artists and cultural managers to advise her as proposed by the National Campaign for the Arts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11703/17]

Cultural Policy

Joan Burton

411. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on proposals that would mandate all local authorities to publish individual arts plans and cultural strategies and for local authority arts spending to be mandatory and ringfenced on an annual basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11704/17]

Rural Development Plan

Joan Burton

412. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to deliver on action point 250 of the Action Plan for Rural Development to work with island communities to assess and implement improvements to island piers and harbours as necessary [11706/17]

Post Office Network

Joan Burton

413. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the way she proposes to oversee and monitor the implementation of actions to support the post office network, arising out of the report of the Post Office Renewal Board and the Post Office Hub Working Group, as outlined in point 20 of the Action Plan for Rural Development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11709/17]

Rural Development Plan

Joan Burton

414. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the investment of €37.5 million as outlined in point 50 of the Action Plan for Rural Development to implement the social inclusion and community activation programme is in addition to the funds previously committed by the Department of Social Protection to the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11710/17]

Health Care Infrastructure Provision

Joan Burton

538. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11538/17]

Construction Industry

Joan Burton

693. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11529/17]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Joan Burton

739. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his role in the implementation of the national broadband plan; the number of homes in each county he expects to have 30 Mbps broadband speed by 2020; the number of businesses in each county that will be affected by the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11699/17]

Metropolitan Area Networks Programme

Joan Burton

740. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of commercial customers who have availed of the metropolitan area networks, MANs, installed in rural areas; the actions to be taken as per action point 240 in the Action Plan for Rural Development (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11705/17]

Construction Industry

Joan Burton

751. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11532/17]

Regional Airports

Joan Burton

763. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the work his Department has carried out to date regarding the investment of €10 million in regional airports, in particular Waterford Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11708/17]

National Transport Authority

Joan Burton

765. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans, in conjunction with the NTA, to deliver on action points 251 to 254, inclusive, of the Action Plan for Rural Development to work with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new rural transport routes as necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11706/17]

Transport Costs

Joan Burton

780. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11544/17]

Copyright Legislation Review

Joan Burton

798. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will undertake a full review of the rights of artists here, including a thorough examination of existing copyright laws and the current competition Acts. [11687/17]

Construction Industry

Joan Burton

806. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by her Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which she monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms she employs to establish this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11539/17]

Job Creation Data

Joan Burton

815. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of job announcements for the south east for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017 , by county; the total number of IDA site visits for south east for each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12013/17]

Construction Industry

Joan Burton

829. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by her Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which she monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms she employs to establish this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11531/17]

Defence Forces Funding

Joan Burton

845. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the level of construction inflation that has been experienced by his Department in each of the past six years and to date in 2017 in respect of construction projects and other capital projects; the way in which he monitors construction inflation and the mechanisms he employs to establish this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11533/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joan Burton

4. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Brexit last met. [10024/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joan Burton

9. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health last met. [10022/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joan Burton

11. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on social policy and public service reform last met. [8526/17]

Apprenticeship Data

Joan Burton

24. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; if his Department has proposals to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10117/17]

School Patronage

Joan Burton

55. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the Government reaching its target of 400 non-denominational and multidenominational schools by 2030; the number of such schools to be opened in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10119/17]

Education Policy

Joan Burton

68. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to and if he had the opportunity to examine the report, A Whole School Approach to Guidance Counselling in a Voluntary School in the Irish Post Primary Sector, by University of Limerick and DIT; his plans on foot of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10116/17]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland

Joan Burton

69. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the implementation of the Quality and Qualifications Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, in particular his Department's engagement with Quality and Qualifications Ireland regarding the implementation schedule for the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10118/17]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Joan Burton

74. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which, under the new model for allocation of resource teaching hours in primary and secondary schools, children who received diagnoses in the school year 2016 to 2017 will receive resource teaching hours from September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10120/17]

Tax Compliance

Joan Burton

98. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance to outline his plans to institute a crackdown on overseas pensions, holiday homes, funds or other sources of income held by Irish residents abroad; the requirements for compliant taxpayers and scale of penalties for non-compliant taxpayers; the number of letters that have been issued to individuals, corporations, trusts and any other entities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10565/17]

Tax Data

Joan Burton

99. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons here who are non-resident for tax purposes; the number of high net worth persons or similar identified by the Revenue Commissioners; the number of others; the amount that has been received from such persons in respect of each year since 2009 to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10566/17]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Burton

124. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the updated cost-benefit analysis and financial robustness element of the tender process for the Maynooth Education Campus, Maynooth, County Kildare, has been completed; if approval of the issue of the letter of intent has issued to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board; the conditions required of the letter of intent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10628/17]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Burton

125. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received the supplementary tender report regarding a school (details supplied); if final approval has now issued to sign contracts for construction of the new school; when construction will commence; the construction timetable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10629/17]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Joan Burton

126. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in considering a request for capital funding for a school (details supplied); when the school authorities will receive a substantive response to their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10630/17]

Schools Building Projects

Joan Burton

127. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the design team for a new school (details supplied) has submitted the review of the impact to tender documents for the project arising from changes introduced in public works contracts; if the design team has submitted revised tender documents for the project; if the review and tender documents have been approved by his Department; when tenders will be invited for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10632/17]

School Management

Joan Burton

132. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reform the model of leadership in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10673/17]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joan Burton

133. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide primary and post-primary average class size figures for Ireland and for other EU member states; his plans to tackle large class size concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10674/17]

Commencement of Legislation

Joan Burton

134. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are remaining sections of the Teaching Council Act to be commenced; the timeframe for commencing such sections; and the number of fitness to teach complaints received and processed to date since he commenced these provisions in July 2016. [10675/17]