Parliamentary questions

North-South Interconnector

Darren O'Rourke

72. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the recent representations he has received on the need to underground the North-South interconnector in view of the recent decision in Northern Ireland to grant planning permission for the North-South interconnector, including representations from elected representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25172/20]

National Broadband Plan

Darren O'Rourke

94. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks his plans to fast-track the delivery of the national broadband plan in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government; the cost implication this will have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25173/20]

Waste Management

Darren O'Rourke

98. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the status of plans included in the recently published Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25174/20]

State Bodies

Darren O'Rourke

152. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks if further details will be provided in relation to the €100 million in additional funding for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland announced as part of the July stimulus for 2021; if the amount is additional funding; if not, if it will include an underspend from 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24912/20]

Cycling Policy

Darren O'Rourke

190. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of constructing one covered bike shelter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24910/20]

Cycling Policy

Darren O'Rourke

191. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of cycling officers employed in local authorities nationwide; the estimated cost of employing one cycling officer for one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24911/20]

Road Network

Darren O'Rourke

192. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the total spend on roads in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24913/20]

Road Network

Darren O'Rourke

193. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the road projects that were funded in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24914/20]

Road Traffic Accidents

Darren O'Rourke

195. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the methodology used to calculate road collisions; if it includes data from An Garda Síochána and insurance companies; if other data is included; if near misses are included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25479/20]

Railway Stations

Darren O'Rourke

208. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the location of a commemorative plaque (details supplied) which was removed from Gormanston train station; the date on which it will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25091/20]

School Transport

Darren O'Rourke

121. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if Bus Éireann has issued or allocated tickets to date for the 2020/2021 school year to over 97,000 children on the primary and post-primary school transport schemes, including tickets for over 26,200 concessionary applicants, as outlined during a Topical Issue debate on 8 September 2020 (details supplied); the way in which it compares to the same period in 2018 and 2019; if she expects in the order of 120,000 children to be accommodated on school bus transport in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24536/20]

Student Grant Scheme

Darren O'Rourke

148. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding supports available for students undertaking graduate entry medicine; if the SUSI grant or other grants are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24526/20]

Climate Change Policy

Darren O'Rourke

171. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the amount in fines Ireland is likely to face in 2020 and 2021 as a result of not achieving renewable energy and carbon emissions targets; if these fines will be allocated for in Budget 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23349/20]

North-South Interconnector

Darren O'Rourke

172. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the amount spent to date on the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23350/20]

Postal Codes

Darren O'Rourke

177. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the secondary uses for Eircode that have been formally considered and deemed appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23567/20]

Postal Codes

Darren O'Rourke

178. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks his plans to facilitate greater cooperation between Eircode and the Loc8 code in the interest of public safety in view of the fact that Loc8 has been used by the National Ambulance Service since 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23568/20]

Postal Codes

Darren O'Rourke

179. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the minimum, maximum and median time for new properties to get an Eircode; the implications of this for connection of utility services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23569/20]

Public Service Obligation Levy

Darren O'Rourke

181. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the amount collected from the PSO levy from electricity customers in each of the years 2010 to 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23631/20]

Public Service Obligation Levy

Darren O'Rourke

182. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the areas in which the PSO levy collected from electricity customers in 2019 was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23632/20]

Climate Change Advisory Council

Darren O'Rourke

186. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the action taken on the 2019 recommendation by the Climate Change Advisory Council to seek advice on appropriate target for methane emissions; if that recommendation has been acted; if so, the findings; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23922/20]

Value Added Tax

Darren O'Rourke

262. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the amount of VAT collected from residential electricity customers in each of the years 2015 to 2019; the VAT that was collected from all electricity customers in the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23633/20]

Value Added Tax

Darren O'Rourke

263. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the amount of VAT collected from residential gas customers in each of the years 2015 to 2019; the VAT that was collected from all gas customers in the same years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23634/20]

Carbon Tax Yield

Darren O'Rourke

264. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the amount collected in carbon tax on residential gas customers in each of the years 2015 to 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23635/20]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Darren O'Rourke

510. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if staff of a company (details supplied), in the case that they met the conditions of the scheme, were eligible to claim short-time work support while under the temporary wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23786/20]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Darren O'Rourke

511. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if staff of a company (details supplied), in the case that they met the conditions of the scheme, were eligible to claim short-time work support while under the employment wage subsidy scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23787/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Darren O'Rourke

547. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if earnings for 2020 will be taken into account when assessing eligibility for SUSI grants in view of the substantial reduction in income many persons have suffered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23581/20]

EU Issues

Darren O'Rourke

64. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the estimated amount in fines Ireland is likely to face in 2020 and 2021 as a result of not achieving renewable energy and carbon emissions targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23065/20]

Ministerial Meetings

Darren O'Rourke

72. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of meetings he has had with an association (details supplied) since becoming Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23229/20]

Ministerial Meetings

Darren O'Rourke

73. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of meetings he has had with taxi representatives since becoming Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23230/20]

Closed-Circuit Television Systems

Darren O'Rourke

176. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the rules which apply to local communities that wish to install CCTV equipment for the purposes of crime prevention and detection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23225/20]

Crime Data

Darren O'Rourke

177. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice if crime and antisocial behaviour have increased in County Meath in recent years; and if so, the measures she is taking to address the matter. [23226/20]

Environmental Policy

Darren O'Rourke

71. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the amount manufacturers pay per tonne of plastic produced here; how this compares internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22793/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Darren O'Rourke

78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the additional public funding provided to Bus Éireann, Irish Rail and Dublin Bus in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22791/20]

Ministerial Meetings

Darren O'Rourke

95. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance if he has spoken directly with his Australian counterpart in the past six months. [22883/20]

Defence Forces Equipment

Darren O'Rourke

150. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Defence the amount spent on purchasing new fire appliances for the Defence Forces fire services in 2019 and to date in 2020; and the frequency with which fire appliances are replaced. [22886/20]

School Transport

Darren O'Rourke

158. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of applications for concessionary tickets for school transport refused in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22792/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Darren O'Rourke

208. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of a decrease grant in adjacency rates from 45km to 30km. [22894/20]

Proposed Legislation

Darren O'Rourke

246. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice her plans to update Public Dance Halls Act 1935. [22884/20]

Vaccination Programme

Darren O'Rourke

284. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation for the National Immunisation Office in 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [22885/20]

Aer Lingus

Darren O'Rourke

183. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if financial assistance from the State has been sought by airlines due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22442/20]

Aer Lingus

Darren O'Rourke

184. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if consideration has been given to providing financial assistance in exchange for equity in Aer Lingus in view of the financial difficulties at the airline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22443/20]

Cycling Facilities

Darren O'Rourke

185. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of installing a bicycle rack on the front of a public bus; his plans for the introduction of such modifications for cyclists who also rely on buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22444/20]

Cycling Facilities

Darren O'Rourke

186. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of increasing capacity on train services for passengers to bring bicycles on board with them; his plans for the introduction of same for cyclists who also rely on trains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22445/20]

Tourism Industry

Darren O'Rourke

187. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to put targeted business supports in place for travel agents which have been severely impacted by the travel restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22466/20]

Carbon Tax Yield

Darren O'Rourke

292. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount the carbon tax will raise in view of the proposed increases in the carbon tax as outlined in the programme for Government in each of the years 2021 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21931/20]

Carbon Tax Yield

Darren O'Rourke

297. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the amount extra an increase of €7.50 per tonne in the carbon tax, as outlined in the programme for Government will raise in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22078/20]

Aer Lingus

Darren O'Rourke

308. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Finance the areas in which the proceeds from the sale of Aer Lingus which established the connectivity fund (details supplied) have been invested to date; the value of the investments; the amount that has not been invested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22441/20]

Hospital Appointments Status

Darren O'Rourke

1366. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive a surgery appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22422/20]

Environmental Policy

Darren O'Rourke

166. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of introducing a deposit return scheme here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20823/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Darren O'Rourke

167. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the capital projects his Department will fund in 2020 and 2021; the budget for each in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20824/20]