Questions and answers published after July 2012 can be viewed here. Viewing by Government Department is possible by term or specific dates from March 2016 onwards. Written answers are published as received from departments. To see parliamentary questions published before July 2012, search in Dáil debates.
Questions and answers for all sittings
Page 67 of 90
Wed, 6 Jul 2016
written
Teachers' Remuneration
Thomas Pringle
63. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on his engagement with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland regarding the renewal of financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation; the way he will seek to minimise the effects of legislation on pay and work conditions into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19560/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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Broadcasting Service Provision
Thomas Pringle
57. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he recognises the importance RTÉ long wave 252 will have for elderly Irish citizens in the United Kingdom now that the UK has voted to exit the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19133/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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Official Engagements
Thomas Pringle
60. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the purpose of his recent visit to Israel and if he made representations to Israeli Government officials regarding the ongoing issues surrounding the occupation of Palestinian territories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19134/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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European Council Meetings
Thomas Pringle
68. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach if he participated in the section of the European Council meeting on 28 June 2016 that was attended by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19593/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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School Curriculum
Thomas Pringle
173. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure effective mechanisms to facilitate children in opting out of religious instruction in publicly funded schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19122/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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Cross-Border Educational Provision
Thomas Pringle
186. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which children from the Republic of Ireland attending schools in Northern Ireland will be affected by the Brexit outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19288/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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Cross-Border Health Services Provision
Thomas Pringle
491. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the implications for radiotherapy patients from Donegal attending the north-west cancer centre in Altnagelvin Hospital in light of the Brexit outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19289/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
648. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the date on which the European Commission will present a proposal to the Council of Ministers asking the Council to vote to give the Commission the authority to sign off on the final text of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, with the Canadian Government that is to adopt a decision concluding the agreement as per TFEU Article 218.6; when the Government will get access to this proposal to conclude CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19571/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
649. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will make public the Commission’s Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, proposal prior to the Council’s vote on it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19572/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
650. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will make public the Government's position as to provisionally applying the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19573/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
651. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Article 29.5.2 of the Constitution places a constitutional imperative on the State to have any international agreement involving a charge upon public funds approved by Dáil Éireann and that as such, should the Council of Ministers vote by a qualified majority vote to approve the signing and provisional application of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, considering the investor state dispute settlement, ISDS, mechanism of CETA is designed specifically to allow for a charge upon public funds, this would create a constitutional crisis for Ireland and the EU, whereby Ireland, as an EU member state, could be the subject of ISDS cases which lead to a charge upon public funds prior to Dáil Éireann approving the CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19574/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
652. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way the Government can claim that CETA and its investor state dispute settlement, ISDS, will not be enforced upon Ireland prior to the CETA being approved by Dáil Éireann (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19575/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
written
International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
653. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the necessity test (details supplied) being used to inform the Government's thinking on the provisional application of CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19576/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
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International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
654. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way the Government can explain its position that the ISDS of CETA is compatible with EU law (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19577/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
written
International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
655. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the Government will explain its position that the ISDS of CETA is compatible with EU law; the reason the Government does not invoke Article 218.11 of the TFEU and ask the ECJ to deliver a legal ruling as to whether or not ISDS is compatible with EU law (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19578/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
written
International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
656. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way on the one hand intra-EU bilateral investment treaties with investor-state dispute settlement, ISDS, promote discrimination based on nationality, but somehow, in a post Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement legal landscape, allowing Canadian businesses or EU-businesses with a Canadian owner, to have privileged access to a legal remedy, namely ISDS, does not allow for discrimination based on nationality (details supplied). [19579/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
written
International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
657. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason for the Government's support for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and its investor-state dispute settlement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19580/16]
Tue, 5 Jul 2016
written
International Agreements
Thomas Pringle
658. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way the Government intends to protect Irish citizens from the European Union Commission’s proposal to provisionally apply the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, prior to a definitive legal ruling as to the distribution of competences relating to new proposals to subject the EU to an investor-state dispute settlement under the CETA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19581/16]
Wed, 29 Jun 2016
written
Waste Management Inspections
Thomas Pringle
19. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied with the level of enforcement, inspection and compliance relating to waste collection operators here; the inspection regime that is in place to ensure they are compliant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18455/16]
Wed, 29 Jun 2016
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Electoral Reform
Thomas Pringle
32. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address the issue of remote voting for those persons such as fishermen and seafarers who cannot be ashore when voting is taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18454/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
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School Admissions
Thomas Pringle
16. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his response to the advice by constitutional law experts commissioned by an organisation (details supplied) which found that no constitutional impediment exists to changing the Equal Status Act as a way to ensure that children have equal access to State-funded schools regardless of their religion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18263/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
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School Textbooks
Thomas Pringle
27. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to roll-out e-books in schools, given the weight of school bags and the cost of hard-copy books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
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Insurance Industry
Thomas Pringle
99. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the impact the decline in returns on investments through low interest rates has had on the insurance industry and the huge hikes in insurance premiums that have been suffered by consumers; his plans to deal with unreasonable hikes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18514/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
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Human Rights Cases
Thomas Pringle
328. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise with the authorities in Scotland the case of a person (details supplied) who has been assaulted and who has been refused medical treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18512/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
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Pharmacy Services
Thomas Pringle
389. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has recently notified pharmacies that certain products, including blisterpacks, cannot be dispensed monthly but must be collected weekly; if he is aware of the implications of this for persons living in rural areas and for carers of persons in need of everyday items; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18061/16]
Tue, 28 Jun 2016
written
Medical Aids and Appliances Provision
Thomas Pringle
424. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his efforts to make medical appliances such as FreeStyle Libre and insulin pumps more affordable and available for persons with type 1 diabetes in order to facilitate greater management of the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/16]
Thu, 23 Jun 2016
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Home Repossessions
Thomas Pringle
37. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance if he will take on board the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness's recommendation to implement a moratorium on the repossession of houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17499/16]
Thu, 23 Jun 2016
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Postal Services
Thomas Pringle
59. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the status of his engagement with the post office network; if and when he will publish a draft ministerial order pursuant to section 67 of the Post and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 to enable post offices to provide a range of financial services, including a standard bank account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17500/16]
Wed, 22 Jun 2016
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Work Permits Eligibility
Thomas Pringle
47. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality why she has not implemented the right to work for asylum seekers after nine months, as recommended in the McMahon report; if she will do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17111/16]
Wed, 22 Jun 2016
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Refugee Resettlement Programme
Thomas Pringle
54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will bring unaccompanied children here as part of the Irish refugee protection programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17110/16]
Wed, 22 Jun 2016
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Social Welfare Benefits Applications
Thomas Pringle
148. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of difficulties with information retrieval from the United Kingdom authorities for social protection applications here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17383/16]
Tue, 21 Jun 2016
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Wind Energy Guidelines
Thomas Pringle
230. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will increase the 500 m setback distance proposed in the 2013 targeted revision to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines 2006 to be in line with current 2016 international best practices for wind turbine setback exemplified by the ten times tip height rule in Bavaria and the 2 km policy in Poland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16664/16]
Tue, 21 Jun 2016
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Health Strategies
Thomas Pringle
426. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to develop and implement a comprehensive national vision strategy as advocated by the National Vision Coalition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17182/16]
Tue, 21 Jun 2016
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Health Services Provision
Thomas Pringle
440. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason for delays in implementing the national eye care plan, which advocates for a shift from a hospital-led model of care, including an increased role for community based optometry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17206/16]
Tue, 21 Jun 2016
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Post Office Network
Thomas Pringle
499. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of times the post office service hubs working group has met since it was set up earlier in 2016; when pilot projects due to be in place by summer 2016 will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16659/16]
Tue, 21 Jun 2016
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Post Office Network
Thomas Pringle
500. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of times the network renewal working group has met since the general election; if he will publish a report on its progress in time for the July 2016 deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16660/16]
Thu, 16 Jun 2016
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Broadband Service Provision
Thomas Pringle
28. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will respond to the European Commission's recent Digital Scoreboard Report which states that a lack of rural broadband has resulted in Ireland having one of the lowest rates of broadband take-up in Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13114/16]
Thu, 16 Jun 2016
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Basic Payment Scheme Applications
Thomas Pringle
229. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1036 of 17 May 2016, when he will issue a decision and notify a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16490/16]
Wed, 15 Jun 2016
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Trade Agreements
Thomas Pringle
52. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the status of discussions on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council in May 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11891/16]
Wed, 15 Jun 2016
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Basic Payment Scheme Payments
Thomas Pringle
186. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of agricultural payments to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16153/16]
Thu, 9 Jun 2016
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Education Schemes
Thomas Pringle
49. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will amend the conditions to the pilot support scheme which is aimed at making third level education accessible for young persons in the asylum process, by withdrawing the five-year time rule to allow young persons in the process who have completed the Irish leaving certificate to access supports for third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15156/16]
Thu, 9 Jun 2016
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Mental Health Services Data
Thomas Pringle
178. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents from County Donegal who were treated in adult mental health facilities in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15187/16]
Thu, 9 Jun 2016
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Mental Health Services Data
Thomas Pringle
179. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of the 63 teams in operation and the number of clinical staff in child and adolescent mental health service posts which are located in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15188/16]
Thu, 9 Jun 2016
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Legislative Programme
Thomas Pringle
211. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will bring the inland fisheries (modernisation and consolidation) Bill before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15077/16]
Thu, 9 Jun 2016
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HIQA Reports
Thomas Pringle
241. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to HIQA's recent annual overview report on the inspection and regulation of children’s services in 2015, which found a varying degree of inconsistencies in the quality of service provision for children and young persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15186/16]
Wed, 8 Jun 2016
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Fishing Industry Development
Thomas Pringle
72. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to develop lobster hatcheries to help enhance the lobster population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14490/16]
Wed, 8 Jun 2016
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GLAS Eligibility
Thomas Pringle
75. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme to allow farmers with privately owned hills to be designated under tier 1 and tier 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14489/16]
Wed, 8 Jun 2016
written
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Thomas Pringle
81. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress in ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; when it will be ratified; if it will be ratified by the deadline for 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/16]
Wed, 8 Jun 2016
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Ministerial Responsibilities
Thomas Pringle
596. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the concerns of the public regarding the lack of environmental policy in the remit of a Cabinet Minister; the reason for this; how he will ensure environmental policy will be included within the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14413/16]
Thu, 2 Jun 2016
written
Hospital Staff Data
Thomas Pringle
18. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of training positions, positions that have been filled and vacancies currently available, by hospital, in tabular form; the number of qualified training consultants available in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; how he will address the low take-up of training positions in hospitals outside County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13684/16]