Parliamentary questions

Tax Code

Ged Nash

176. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the action Ireland has taken on foot of the European Commission recommendation of 14 July 2020 (C(2020) 4885 final) on making State financial support to undertakings conditional on the absence of links, up to the beneficial owner, to non-co-operative jurisdictions for tax purposes, so-called blacklist jurisdictions, pursuant to point 7 of the recommendation; the information he has already provided to the Commission regarding measures taken to implement the recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27489/21]

Higher Education Grants

Ged Nash

76. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to amend the earnings disregard for qualification for a SUSI grant to include support received by students who have received pandemic unemployment payment support as a consequence of the loss of a job during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26777/21]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ged Nash

138. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship trainees that have had their qualification completion delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic; the supports planned by his Department to assist with catch up for their apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26782/21]

Higher Education Institutions

Ged Nash

139. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding that has been made available to higher education institutions to complete mandated consent training for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26780/21]

Grant Payments

Ged Nash

156. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to restore the SUSI adjacent distance payment to 50km; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26781/21]

Research Funding

Ged Nash

172. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding that has been allocated for spending on grants and supports and structural funding for blue sky research in higher education institutions in each of the years 2019 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26818/21]

Strategic Infrastructure

Ged Nash

268. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the long-standing proposal to develop the northern port access route north of Drogheda town; if he plans to initiate a specific funding programme for infrastructure of this nature that, if built, would enable road access to planned lands for the development of in excess of 4,000 homes in north Drogheda; if his Department will work with Louth County Council to identify funding sources for the route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26425/21]

Visa Applications

Ged Nash

630. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice when a decision will be made on a visa application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25546/21]

Covid-19 Tests

Ged Nash

139. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details of plans by his Department and or the agencies under his aegis to roll-out pilot programmes with businesses and in workplaces as a consequence of the report and suggestions by the Covid-19 Rapid Testing Group and in respect of the use of rapid antigen testing in workplaces and in other environments; the way in which firms will be selected to participate in any pilot programme under consideration; if firms will be enabled to make expressions of interest in terms of participation in any such programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24556/21]

Financial Irregularities

Ged Nash

235. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 284 to 287 of 28 April 2021, the reason the number of convictions for serious offences under section 1078 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 was considerably lower in the period 2016 to 2020 than in the period 2011 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24274/21]

Financial Irregularities

Ged Nash

236. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 284 to 287 of 28 April 2021, if he is satisfied that the programme for prosecuting those offences constitutes an effective deterrent to tax evasion and fraud in view of the significantly reduced number of convictions for serious offences under section 1078 of the Taxes Consolidation Act in the period from 2016 to 2020 compared with the previous five year period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24275/21]

Irish Sign Language

Ged Nash

459. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education her plans to include Irish Sign Language as a school curriculum subject to ensure equality and inclusivity for the considerable proportion of Ireland's population who are deaf, hard of hearing or non-verbal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24006/21]

Education and Training Boards

Ged Nash

492. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the LMETB does not have a single head office building as per a Government decision of 2013; if she is concerned that eight years after a decision was made to develop a headquarters building for the LMETB in Drogheda, the project has still not commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24338/21]

Education and Training Boards

Ged Nash

493. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education her views on the fact that the Drogheda LMETB headquarters project has not formally commenced despite the allocation of funds made by her Department in 2014 under devolved projects for the fully designed project in view of the fact that planning permission was granted for the project in 2016 and in further view of the fact that that her Department approved the project to go to tender and tenders were received in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24339/21]

Education and Training Boards

Ged Nash

494. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in February 2017 her Department gave the go ahead to LMETB to issue letters of intent to contractors clearing the way for the Drogheda LMETB headquarters project to commence; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that the devolved section of the building unit of her Department instructed LMETB to retender the entire project in June 2018; her views on the fact the project has seen expenditure of €400,000 of public funding spent on design team fees and related matters to date without any building having commenced on the site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24340/21]

Education and Training Boards

Ged Nash

495. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the effective obstacles placed in the way of the commencement of the Drogheda LMETB headquarters project by the ETB in respect of security concerns and subsequently in terms of the size and scale of the planned building since the ETB was instructed in 2017 by her Department to accept the lowest tender for the project; her views on whether this process and the ongoing slow progress of the eight year project with the knowledge her Department raises question marks in terms of the use and effective application of public moneys; her further views on the ongoing delays in delivery which run contrary to the principles of the speedy and efficient delivery of devolved buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24341/21]

Education and Training Boards

Ged Nash

496. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education the reason an instruction to retender the Drogheda LMETB headquarters project given by her Department in June 2018 has not been executed; the clear steps that will be taken by the devolved section of the building unit of her Department to compel compliance with its instruction of June 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24342/21]

Sports Funding

Ged Nash

619. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice if investment into sporting clubs (details supplied) is eligible under the immigrant investment programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23645/21]

Stardust Fire

Ged Nash

645. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice if she will meet and engage with the legal representatives of the families who lost loved ones in the Stardust tragedy to ensure that there are no further delays in starting the Stardust inquest; if she will provide free and non-means tested legal aid to the families of the Stardust fire victims in order that the inquests into the deaths of their loved ones can commence as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24125/21]

Vaccination Programme

Ged Nash

695. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the vaccine registration process for pregnant women in view of the recent NIAC recommendation; the way in which, when and by whom pregnant women will be contacted with regard to their vaccine appointment; if pregnant women will be able to register on the current vaccination portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23681/21]