Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

International Summits

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he had with other Heads of State and Government during the recent Asia-Europe meeting summit. [44904/14]

Scoileanna Gaeltachta

Joe Higgins

822. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Joe Higgins den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna maidir le Scoil Naomh Eoin Baiste, Lios Póil, Contae Chiarraí, an dtabharfaidh sí dearbhú nach gcaillfear an ceathrú múinteoir ón scoil, ó tharla go raibh 80 dalta cláraithe don scoilbhliain 2014/15 - sin triúr níos lú ná an uimhir choinneála do cheathrar- ag tógáint san áireamh go mbeidh 93 dhalta cláraithe don scoilbhliain 2015/16 agus 101 don bhliain 2016/17". [12043/15]

Irish Water Establishment

Joe Higgins

22. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the commitment in the programme for Government regarding the Irish Water networks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3364/15]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet sub-committee on economic infrastructure and climate change last met. [3368/15]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom regarding Northern Ireland. [43820/14]

Northern Ireland

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on discussions with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and other political leaders in Northern Ireland. [43821/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the ambassador of the United States of America to Ireland. [43819/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to New York and the economic events designed to increase jobs and investment here. [44902/14]

Social Partnership Meetings

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent meetings he has had with social partners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41692/14]

Energy Policy

Joe Higgins

592. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the review of energy options for the State with the inclusion of nuclear power. [4383/15]

Renewable Energy Generation

Joe Higgins

593. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the Pathways to Power report January 2015 compiled by the WWF and international marine consultants DNV GL on a fully renewable energy system in Scotland by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4384/15]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach his views on the implementation of the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43818/14]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has had meetings recently with religious leaders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41693/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the process in place in his Department for appointments to the boards of State agencies and organisations. [43817/14]

Water Meters Installation

Joe Higgins

275. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of reports that the Health and Safety Authority have received to date from members of the public of incidents arising from building contractors installing or attempting to install water meters in residential areas on behalf of Irish Water; the number of occasions the Health and Safety Authority has conducted investigations of such incidents; the number of times work stations have been closed down even on a temporary basis; and the number of findings that have been made against contractors installing water meters for unsafe work practices. [1704/15]

European Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent European Council discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41697/14]

Economic Management Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last Economic Management Council took place. [41694/14]

Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments

Joe Higgins

204. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the recourse available for persons (details supplied) to have their successful claim for unpaid wages against their former employer enforced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46853/14]

Pension Provisions

Joe Higgins

165. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the non-compliance with circular 0025/2008 relating to the pensions of part-time employees in the institutes of technology and education and training boards and the issuing of circular 0062/2014; the organisations that did not comply with circular 0025/2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46554/14]

Technological Universities

Joe Higgins

166. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the decision of Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology not to participate in the proposed new technological university with other institutes of technology in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46555/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet committee on European affairs was held and when the next one is scheduled. [35726/14]

Water Charges Introduction

Joe Higgins

98. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on any research by his Department on the prospects of future water poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41681/14]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joe Higgins

149. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 to ensure the person receives back to education allowance or other assistance to continue in education and training. [45835/14]

Proposed Legislation

Joe Higgins

303. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will introduce legislation to make the purchasing of prostitution an offence; the steps she will take to provide help and assistance to prostitutes seeking to leave prostitution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45772/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change and the green economy was held and for when is the next one scheduled. [35188/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the United Nations summit on climate change in September. [36526/14]

Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries

Joe Higgins

98. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will include the Westbank Orphanage in Greystones, County Wicklow, in the inquiry into the mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44416/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on mortgage arrears and credit availability was held; and when the next one is scheduled. [35185/14]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of JobBridge participants who have worked in his Department. [43816/14]

Cabinet Committee Discussions

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs was held and when the next one is scheduled to take place. [35186/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet sub-committee meetings that were held in July, August and September 2014. [35180/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on justice reform was held and when the next one is scheduled. [35182/14]

Health Services Staff Data

Joe Higgins

121. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 9 October 2014 the number and percentage of the 13,743 Health Service Executive staff on fixed-term or specified-purpose contracts as of August 2014 who were employed through employment agencies; if he will provide details of the fees, total amount and average percentage of employee salary paid to agencies in this respect; and if he will provide the same information for any additional agency staff working in the HSE not included in those figures. [42790/14]

General Practitioner Services

Joe Higgins

131. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will report on his discussions on the extension of free general practitioner visits to those under six years of age and over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42789/14]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reduce the level of temporary staffing across the public sector by converting such posts to permanent contracts. [42069/14]

Croke Park Agreement Issues

Joe Higgins

17. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reverse the pay cuts for lower-paid public servants as promised under the Croke Park agreement. [42068/14]

Tax Code

Joe Higgins

8. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons that will benefit from the changes to the special assignee relief programme, including the scrapping of the ceiling of €500,000, the reduction in the amount of time for which a person must have been employed by a company, and the withdrawal of the requirement not to be tax-resident in another country; and the cost to the Exchequer of these changes. [41749/14]

Tax Relief Costs

Joe Higgins

22. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the estimated annual cost of the extension in budget 2015 of tax breaks for leasing agricultural land; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons and the number of companies benefitting from these tax breaks each year since they were introduced; the benefit per person and per company; and if any analysis has been carried out of the income distributional effects of existing and future tax breaks for the leasing of agricultural land. [41750/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the Lebanese Prime Minister and other local officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26762/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to the Middle East. [26763/14]

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the referenda scheduled for the period ahead. [35179/14]

Water Charges Administration

Joe Higgins

102. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the implementation of the €100 allowance for Irish Water bills through the household benefits package. [41680/14]

Household Benefits Scheme

Joe Higgins

127. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the impact of possible future water poverty on the social protection budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41681/14]

Water Supply Contamination

Joe Higgins

397. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department intervened with local authorities or other organisations to secure fresh water supplies for a company (details supplied) to deal with an acute outbreak of disease in its salmon in south Connemara; and if his Department lobbied any organisation for favourable terms for the delivery of such fresh water. [41039/14]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Joe Higgins

596. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health his views on the provision of medical treatment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and his further views on the waiting lists at the hospital. [41032/14]

Home Care Packages

Joe Higgins

632. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding for home care in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [41227/14]

Rare Diseases

Joe Higgins

633. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the research the State is funding and-or collaborating with other states into Gaucher's disease; and if he will report on research the State funds into other rare genetic conditions. [41228/14]

Rare Diseases

Joe Higgins

634. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to enable screening of Gaucher's disease and other rare genetic conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41229/14]

Palliative Care for Children

Joe Higgins

635. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to increase the number of palliative care units for children; if he will report on the assistance the State gives to Laura Lynn hospice in Leopardstown, Dublin 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41230/14]

Irish Water Administration

Joe Higgins

1026. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of Irish Water application packs that were returned to sender; if Irish Water has identified the number due to incorrect names, addresses or other information; if Irish Water has destroyed returned post that was marked return to sender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41555/14]