203. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to focus tax rises on behavioural taxes with negative externalities such as carbon tax, sugar tax and plastics as outlined in the programme for Government; his views on whether the cited behavioural taxes are not a sustainable source of revenue in view of the fact the stated objective of the tax is to reduce consumption of the good producing the negative externality; his further views on whether these taxation measures match the broader aim to achieve a sustainable tax environment as outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14599/20]
202. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he plans to utilise taxation measures to close the deficit as outlined in the programme for Government; if he plans to predominantly use progressive or regressive taxation measures to achieve same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14598/20]
201. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans for a national recovery fund; if he plans to use windfall gains as identified in the programme for Government to reduce borrowing requirements; his views on whether such windfall gains would be more appropriately utilised as part of a national recovery fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14597/20]
200. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to enable and support the credit union movement to grow as outlined in the programme for Government; the way in which he plans to help credit unions deliver an expanded range of community banking services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14596/20]
199. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance when he plans to bring forward legislation for the local property tax on the basis of fairness as outlined in the programme for Government; his plans to increase the local property tax yield on the basis of fairness in view of the comparative low local property tax yield as cited in the 2019 report (details supplied) by his Department; if he plans to bring the yield of the tax in line with the EU average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14595/20]
198. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the timeline for the establishment of a commission on welfare and taxation as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14594/20]
197. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to increase purely domestic activity as indicated by GNI as part of a more sustainable tax environment outlined in the programme for Government in view of identified external market risks such as Brexit and increased trade tensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14593/20]
196. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to move to a more sustainable tax environment as stated in the programme for Government in view of potential international corporation and digital tax changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14592/20]
195. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to extend the temporary wage subsidy scheme beyond the scheduled deadline; if he plans a comprehensive audit of companies receiving the scheme to ensure they have met the stated criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14591/20]
194. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans for a lower VAT rate for the tourism sector in view of the July 2018 report of his Department stating the regressive nature of the reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14590/20]
193. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans for a lower VAT rate for the tourism sector; his views on the findings from the 2018 OECD economic survey of Ireland report which recommended that preferential VAT rates be eliminated and lower rates for discretionary categories of expenditure, for example, hotel and restaurants are regressive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14589/20]
192. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the status of his plans to manage the public finances to ensure necessary investment in infrastructure and skills required to enhance competitiveness as outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14588/20]
191. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance his plans to increase general spending as a percentage of GDP in view of the low rate here when compared to the European Union 27; if general spending will be increased and sustained in line with the eurozone average during the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14587/20]
175. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the number of agency staff employed by a bank (details supplied) in which the State is a majority shareholder;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14204/20]
Bill entitled an Act to give statutory effect to recommendations of the Labour Court in relation to pay and conditions in certain sectors of the economy; and to provide for connected matters.
824. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend Covid-19 payments to support high risk persons that must continue to follow public health advice and cocoon and stay at home until the official advice changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12984/20]
820. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if high risk persons, that is, those cocooning on medical grounds, will no longer be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment once their workplace reopens; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this contradicts the stated health advice for such high risk persons to stay at home; her plans to rectify this anomaly; the status of her discussions with the Minister for Health on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12974/20]
805. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of plans to provide a top-up pension payment for those post-retirement age that are without a full social insurance record; if existing pensioners will be able to retrospectively avail of the proposed payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12854/20]
791. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision will be made on a grant application made through Pobal by a community organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13380/20]
455. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his plans to engage with an organisation (details supplied) on a review of the DTSS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13077/20]
454. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when his Department and the HSE will provide PPE and a range of other supports required by dental practices nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13076/20]
209. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the new leases of premises entered into by LMETB in Navan, County Meath while waiting for the construction of the new head office; if she has approved these leases as is required; the date of approval; the duration of each lease entered into; the cost per annum of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13322/20]
208. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date of submission of the original planning application to Louth County Council for the new LMETB head office building; the date of granting of the original permission to build and submission of a subsequent application for alteration or extension to the original plans, respectively; the date of decision if granted or due; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13321/20]
83. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the financial management shared services project; the cost for each year since the project was introduced in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12749/20]
909. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to provide an update on his work in terms of "disability proofing" the planning process; how he intends to make access to amenities for people with a disability a priority in the planning process; how he plans to improve consultation with disability groups on such matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12345/20]
857. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if self-employed childcare operators can avail of the pandemic unemployment payment for the summer months upon the cessation of the early childhood care and education scheme; the social welfare entitlements of self-employed childcare operators relating to out of work but not seasonal closure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12537/20]
856. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding and staff allocation to the Citizens Information Board in 2018, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12512/20]
855. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of young persons aged 25 to 29 years of age in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12511/20]
854. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12510/20]
834. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to return to weekly social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12081/20]
802. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the implementation of an automatic enrolment pensions savings system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11678/20]
801. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the date for the pre-budget forum has been decided; if so, when will it be held; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11677/20]
800. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age in receipt of the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11676/20]
799. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age on the youth employment support scheme; the funding allocated to support young persons under 25 years of age on the scheme in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11646/20]
777. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the allocation of the Stability Fund for Community, Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprises; the number of applications received and funding sought for each; when allocations will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11698/20]
776. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of a national strategy on volunteering; when the strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11697/20]
748. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the planned current expenditure by her Department in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11682/20]
747. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation and allocation of the youth climate justice fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11681/20]
746. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the UBU targeted youth work scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11680/20]
745. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the overall €61.791 million funding allocation for youth work provision in 2020, by schemes (details supplied) in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11679/20]
691. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the public health advice regarding the expected phase for the resumption of driver lessons and tests based on the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12232/20]
668. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to amend and extend the Small Public Service Vehicles (Emergency Measures Covid-19) Regulation 2020 beyond 31 December 2020 for vehicles due to reach their final operational dates in 2020, in view of the financial impact of the pandemic on the taxi sector; if he will keep this matter under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11945/20]
458. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when he expects restrictions on visitors to antenatal and post-natal wards of maternity units to be lifted specifically in respect of partners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12083/20]
408. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to each regional and local drugs task force in each of the years 2016 to 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11699/20]
307. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the establishment of the legal practitioners' disciplinary tribunal as provided for in the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015; the indicative commencement date for the tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11696/20]
306. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status the youth justice strategy; the proposed timeframe for publication of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11695/20]
263. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average cost of supporting a place on the SOLAS training programme for the unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12525/20]
262. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding allocation to SOLAS training programmes for the unemployed in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12524/20]
261. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of young persons under 25 years of age on SOLAS training programmes for the unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12523/20]
260. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average cost of supporting a place on the VTOS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12522/20]