Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Foreign Direct Investment

Frank O'Rourke

893. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons employed in foreign direct investment companies here in the years 2005, 2010 and 2015; the policies the Government and its agencies are pursuing to maintain and strengthen the links that these companies have here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12787/16]

Child Benefit Eligibility

Frank O'Rourke

32. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the age criteria under the child benefit scheme and link this payment to children who are still in full-time education which in some cases can be children over 17 years of age up to 19 years of age; in the case of third level education, if he will link this payment to students who qualify on means for the Student Universal Support Ireland grants up to 22 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11807/16]

Exceptional Needs Payment Appeals

Frank O'Rourke

62. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to change the process of reviewing payments under the exceptional needs payment, even though they are not a primary payment, to the same appeal process as other social protection payments, where it goes to an appeal and an oral hearing can be provided, given that some serious cases are being refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11808/16]

Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility

Frank O'Rourke

44. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to expand the tenant purchase scheme to other buyers, given that it is restricted to local authority tenants with an income in excess of €15,000 per year, which excludes other potential participants; to include the purchase of apartments under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11597/16]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Frank O'Rourke

247. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills to request the Teaching Council to review its proposal to abolish regulation 3, which gives full recognition to Montessori teachers to teach all age groups in special schools, special classes and resource classes, given that Montessori educators have always been involved in special education here and have specific training in special education as part of their basic teacher training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9391/16]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Frank O'Rourke

364. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of social housing units to be built in 2016, by county and city borough; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9387/16]

Emergency Accommodation Data

Frank O'Rourke

365. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the emergency accommodation beds available for persons experiencing homelessness, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9388/16]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Eligibility

Frank O'Rourke

437. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the caps under the rent supplement scheme and the housing assistance payment scheme, given the increasing cost of rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9389/16]

Mental Health Services Funding

Frank O'Rourke

640. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when he will allocate the €12 million ring-fenced funding for mental health services, given that it is not being spent as the additional staff it was to fund will not be hired on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9392/16]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Frank O'Rourke

1086. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to review the timeline of the roll-out of the national broadband plan and to review the planning and procedural issues in order to speed up the delivery of this vital service to the rural economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9390/16]

Rail Network

Frank O'Rourke

1135. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will complete the construction rail project to open the Phoenix Park tunnel; the benefits of this investment for those commuters using the County Kildare routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10109/16]

Tourism Policy

Frank O'Rourke

1136. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the policies he is pursuing to ensure that counties such as County Kildare benefit from the increase in tourist numbers that is occurring, especially in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10110/16]

Job Retention

Frank O'Rourke

1184. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has met or has requested a meeting with the management of Intel in Ireland, given the company’s recent announcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10108/16]

Schools Building Projects Status

Frank O'Rourke

261. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the tender being awarded for the building of the new community school for Maynooth, County Kildare; when the contracts will be signed; when building works will commence; the time from commencement of building works to completion of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9078/16]

NAMA Portfolio

Frank O'Rourke

25. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the number of acres of residential land and the number of residential units the National Asset Management Agency owns or controls, directly or indirectly, through loans owed to it, in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7983/16]

Food Industry Development

Frank O'Rourke

34. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine given the significant number of food sector companies in Naas and surrounding areas in County Kildare, the policies his Department is pursing to sustain and grow the numbers of persons employed in this sector in County Kildare; if his Department has considered making Naas and the surrounding area a designated location or hub for the food sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7984/16]

Home Care Packages Administration

Frank O'Rourke

86. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the policies his Department and the Health Service Executive are pursuing to encourage more persons to enter the home care package sector; the policies in place to secure sustainable levels of pay for the workers in that sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7982/16]

Schools Building Projects Status

Frank O'Rourke

118. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the new community school for Maynooth, County Kildare; when construction will start on the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7985/16]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Frank O'Rourke

82. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the policy initiatives he has introduced to facilitate the National Asset Management Agency in providing social housing units; the number of such units these policy initiatives will provide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6362/16]

Tax Code

Frank O'Rourke

83. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance his plans to change the tax system for distressed debt and other financial assets so that speculation on distressed residential debt is penalised rather than rewarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6363/16]