Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Post Office Network

Joan Burton

942. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps she has undertaken to secure the rural post office network; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27518/17]

Intellectual Property Management

Joan Burton

943. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she has had engagement with stakeholders in the music industry in terms of the establishment of a music industry taskforce with wide representation and which would examine a range of issues including the impact of intellectual property and copyright legislation and enforcement in both the music and technology industries, supports for the business of music education and a dedicated office similar to the Irish Film Board for the music sector. [27519/17]

Banking Sector

Joan Burton

944. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress of the investigation by her Department of the establishment of a public banking system here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27520/17]

Forestry Sector

Joan Burton

954. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the total assessed damage from the recent forest and gorse fires; the amount the damage cost; the way in which habitats will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27637/17]

Orthodontic Services Provision

Joan Burton

1246. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health when the orthodontic procedure for a person (details supplied) will be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27529/17]

Bus Services

Joan Burton

1856. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the public bus service is a vital piece of infrastructure in rural communities; his plans to support such services and ensure there is an adequate and secure level of public transport provision in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27517/17]

Special Amenity Areas

Joan Burton

2196. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding recent correspondence by his Department to South Dublin County Council, Fingal and Kildare County Councils regarding the possible extension of the Liffey valley special amenity area order; if there has been correspondence since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27400/17]

Commencement of Legislation

Joan Burton

212. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health the provisions of the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 that have not yet been commenced; and the date on which he expects them to be commenced. [26113/17]

National Security Committee

Joan Burton

6. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach when the national security committee last met. [25977/17]

Seanad Reform

Joan Burton

7. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach the position regarding the group being formed to reform Seanad Éireann. [24017/17]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Joan Burton

10. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with Mr. Michel Barnier on 11 May 2017. [24018/17]

EU Meetings

Joan Burton

53. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent meeting with his EU counterparts to agree a detailed mandate for the opening of negotiations with the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25643/17]

Foreign Conflicts

Joan Burton

69. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the engagement his Department has had with India and Pakistan regarding the status and humanitarian situation in Kashmir; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25645/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

76. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for Ireland in respect of Brexit negotiations. [19864/17]

Brexit Issues

Joan Burton

85. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent meeting with European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt and MEPs in Strasbourg; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25644/17]

Humanitarian Aid

Joan Burton

89. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the detail of the recent announcement of €6 million in humanitarian assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25642/17]

School Accommodation Provision

Joan Burton

182. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the most likely accommodation for a school is the existing Maynooth post-primary school on the Moyglare Road, Maynooth, County Kildare, which will become vacant when the Maynooth education campus is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25525/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

183. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the design team for a school (details supplied) has submitted the stage 2(b) submission, including review arising from changes in public work contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25526/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

184. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received the tender documents and stage 2(b) documentation for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25527/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

185. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB, has completed its review of the planning conditions to evaluate implications on design and cost for a school (details supplied); if a stage 2(b) cost check has been submitted to his Department for approval; if tender documents have been prepared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25528/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

186. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a design team has been appointed for the required extension to a school (details supplied) further to the site visit undertaken by his Department to the school; if not, when a design team will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25529/17]

Schools Building Projects Status

Joan Burton

187. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the construction of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25535/17]

Flood Relief Schemes

Joan Burton

361. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the delay in the Office of Public Works formally approving the lower Morrell river flood relief scheme and the funding of same in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25524/17]

Heritage Projects

Joan Burton

362. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to parliamentary question number 210 of 3 May 2017, if he will review the phase 2 restoration works to Maynooth Castle, Maynooth, County Kildare, in the context of the current capital review, in view of the importance of the castle to Maynooth and the wider region as a tourist attraction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25530/17]

Flood Risk Assessments

Joan Burton

363. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has approved the draft catchment flood risk assessment and management study, CFRAMS, for the eastern region; if he has set up a framework of consultants to carry out the studies recommended in the finalised report; his plans to carry out further studies on flooding at Hazelhatch, Celbridge, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25533/17]

Hospital Facilities

Joan Burton

447. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Health if he will prioritise the provision of capital funding for the new endoscopy unit and other ancillary services at Naas General Hospital, Naas, County Kildare, under the review of the capital plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25531/17]

IDA Site Visits

Joan Burton

639. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made in securing a replacement manufacturing industry for a site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25532/17]

IDA Site Visits

Joan Burton

640. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of site visits arranged by IDA Ireland in marketing County Kildare as a jobs location in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25534/17]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Joan Burton

106. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he received the Teaching Council report on teacher supply; the reason he has not published the report to date; when he will do so; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many primary schools are reporting great difficulties in filling vacancies when teachers are absent due to illness and other reasons; and the way in which his Department proposes to assist schools with these difficulties. [25181/17]

Minor Works Scheme Data

Joan Burton

107. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the grants for school improvements which are made available to school boards on an annual basis; the reason in some cases schools are uncertain with regard to the continuation of a scheme until late in the school year; if he will inform schools at the start of a school year regarding such grants and when they will be paid; the cost of the minor works grant; and if it will be paid annually to schools as a matter of policy. [25182/17]

Schools Inspections

Joan Burton

108. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools in which departmental inspectors carry out inspections on a yearly basis; the nature of such inspections; his views on the concerns expressed by teachers regarding excessive paper checking associated with his Department's supervision of schools; and the number of schools at each level which are in the school improvement programme. [25183/17]

Teachers' Remuneration

Joan Burton

109. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to end pay inequality between teachers appointed after 2010 and those appointed earlier specifically by reversing the decision of 2010 to impose pay cuts on new entrants in the same way as the withdrawal of the universal qualification allowance from entrants after February 2012 is being reversed. [25184/17]

Third Level Institutions Governance

Joan Burton

37. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to reports in the media of audits into third level institutions that have revealed a range of governance issues, including additional payments to staff and non-compliance with procurement rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24658/17]

Language Schools

Joan Burton

42. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the legislative proposals his Department has to establish a learner protection fund for students of English language schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24660/17]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Joan Burton

63. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the low uptake of apprenticeships by females; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24662/17]

Proposed Legislation

Joan Burton

70. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the legislative proposals his Department is working on to make it an offence to advertise and provide academic cheating services for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24659/17]

Legislative Process

Joan Burton

81. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Equal Status (Admissions to School) Bill 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24661/17]

International Summits

Joan Burton

113. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on attendance at and participation in the OECD's annual international summit on the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24921/17]

Teachers' Remuneration

Joan Burton

114. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether there is a clear pay disparity between teachers recruited before 1 January 2011 and those recruited thereafter; his further views on whether it is unacceptable to maintain such pay disparities; his plans to address pay equality issues beyond the steps already agreed in relation to restoration of a qualification allowance payment; the cost of restoring teachers recruited since 1 January 2011 to the previous pay scale; the elements which make up this cost; and the number of teachers affected. [24922/17]

Legislative Process

Joan Burton

115. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the Technological Universities Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24923/17]

Ministerial Correspondence

Joan Burton

116. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the correspondence he has received from the chief executive of the Higher Education Authority regarding governance, human resources and financial practices in the University of Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24924/17]

Teacher Exchange Scheme

Joan Burton

117. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his Department's work on setting up a relocation panel for permanent primary school teachers who need to relocate but do not wish to resign their position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24925/17]

English Language Training Organisations

Joan Burton

118. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of each accreditation and co-ordination of English language services and schools (details supplied) capacity which is left empty in order to assure they have enough capacity to honour ACELS-MEI’s learner protection scheme should the need arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24926/17]

English Language Training Organisations

Joan Burton

119. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his Department’s role in the regulation of an association (details supplied) in particular the leaner protection scheme of the association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24927/17]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration

Joan Burton

120. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the implementation of the Qualifications and Quality 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, IEM; the status of its recruitment of inspectors for the IEM; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24928/17]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Joan Burton

121. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the uptake in the number of apprenticeships by females; his plans to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24929/17]

School Patronage

Joan Burton

122. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding 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. [24930/17]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Joan Burton

123. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which children under the new model for allocation of resource teaching hours in primary and secondary that received diagnoses in the school year 2016-2017 will receive resource teaching hours from September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24931/17]

Digital Strategy for Schools

Joan Burton

124. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of information and communication technology grants his Department has paid to primary and secondary schools in the past 12 months; the details of the grants given to schools in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24932/17]

Garda Vetting Applications Data

Joan Burton

125. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers employed prior to 2007 who have registered for retrospective Garda vetting under the terms of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Teaching Council Act 2001; the number of applications to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24933/17]