32. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources following the welcome announcement by an ICT company of its plans to develop a facility which will be fully self-reliant on renewable sources for its energy requirements, his Department's plans to enable other organisations, both public and private, to develop more sustainable energy sources and, in particular, the plans to assist with retrofitting of existing facilities. [10237/15]
84. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received a payment under the single payment scheme for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10749/15]
630. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on expediting the objective contained in the 20 year strategy for the Irish language between 2010 and 2030 of promoting and supporting the use of packaging which is bilingual in view of the fact that such a step would greatly heighten the visibility of the first language across the country. [10454/15]
495. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a site has been acquired at a location (details supplied) in County Galway for a new vocational school; if the design team has been appointed in advance of the project; and when it is envisaged that a planning application will be submitted. [10450/15]
440. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure the nursing homes support scheme or fair deal scheme are able to process applications as quickly as possible to ensure persons requiring residential care are able to transfer from acute hospitals as soon as practicable. [10451/15]
250. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on holding public consultation sessions in counties Galway and Mayo to assist in the development of a regional enterprise strategy for the west; and if he will ensure that the strategy takes into account the different challenges across the region. [10452/15]
147. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Taoiseach in the context of reforming the legislative process, if legislation is subject to a review, within a set period of time after its enactment; and if so, the way it is envisaged such reviews will be carried out. [10455/15]
140. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, in the context of the traffic issues experienced in County Galway, his Department or the agencies under the remit of his Department have examined alternations or improvements to the Quincentennial Bridge; if such considerations have been ruled out, the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9982/15]
139. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the progress of the bike rental scheme operating in County Galway; if there are performance indicators available for the scheme so far; and if reviews of this scheme and others are planned. [9984/15]
216. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health his views on the value-for-money review being conducted by the Health Service Executive and the impacts the requests being made, under this review, pose to organisations such as Ability West, which provides services to persons of all ages with intellectual disabilities; and if the review is taking account of the improving financial position of the State. [9759/15]
36. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government , while acknowledging the allocation of funding in 2014 for repairs necessitated by the storm damage caused in January 2014, if funding will be made available to local authorities for repairs necessitated following damage caused by storms in February 2014, which were particularly acute on offshore islands. [9076/15]
33. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views regarding the proportion of new homes which must be reserved as social, or affordable, housing under Part 5 of the Planning and Development Acts; his further views that the original intent of Part 5 is being achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9079/15]
622. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a mechanism for supporting the transport co-ordination units in extending their services for specific purposes, such as providing transport for persons availing of a cycling tourism business, and other opportunities, which the units could pursue on a collaborative basis. [9345/15]
579. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a funding programme through grants or tax relief will be considered to support persons who purchase derelict or abandoned properties in rural areas with the intention of restoring and renovating them to serve as their principal private residence owing to the benefits such actions have for rural communities, as well as for the provision of housing stock. [9353/15]
561. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the recently announced review of the boundaries of Cork and Galway cities and the possibility of amalgamating city and county councils, if he will report on the savings made to date and projected for the first year since the amalgamation of local authorities in counties Waterford, Limerick and Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5772/15]
530. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to extending the time required to be spent in the Gaeltacht improving language skills, as part of teacher training; and if the financial support scheme could be re-introduced for such an important component of the training programme. [9352/15]
441. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health his plans to lead or lend support to a public information campaign to make persons aware of the range of services available at their local pharmacies, which would lead to quicker outcomes for some persons and reduce pressure on emergency departments. [9331/15]
440. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date on redeveloping a health centre (details supplied) in County Galway. [9330/15]
256. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress to assist Irish small and medium enterprises in their bids for procurement contracts, at home and abroad, in view of the benefits such contracts have for local economies. [9332/15]
241. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the Office of Public Works progress on flood relief and defences at a location (details supplied) in County Galway. [9333/15]
259. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a breakdown of the current expenditure figures, detailing the funding from her Department to Inishbofin Island, for the years 2013, and 2014. [8572/15]
228. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the funding provided to Inishbofin Island in 2013, and 2014 by the sections of his Department originally part of the old Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. [8571/15]
24. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the role his Department and the embassy network are playing regarding the Year of Irish Design 2015, which is aiming to promote and support Irish craft and design at home and abroad. [8267/15]
8. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will elaborate on the aim, contained in the Global Island, Ireland's Foreign Policy for a Changing World, of Ireland as a neighbour of the United Kingdom, to work to encourage that country's continued membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8268/15]
96. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason commonage landowners are not notified in advance of inspections of their commonages, by his Department, and are not presented with a control report to sign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8322/15]
29. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the positive impact on Galway city and the west of Galway county, following the decision to staff an ambulance station in Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8001/15]
16. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of first responders in communities, particularly in rural communities; if he will provide details of the work ongoing to improve ambulance response rates, particularly in north west Connemara, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7979/15]
379. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health his views on concerns that some legal firms are simultaneously acting on behalf of the State in various matters and also for tobacco companies which are taking action or are threatening to take action against the State in respect of plain packaging measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8072/15]
162. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of engagement between his Department and the Department of Education and Skills, in establishing greater professional recognition, through qualifications, for child care staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7745/15]
143. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will report on consideration being given to extending the free year of preschool education; if this will involve extending the daily hours provided; the number of weeks covered in the year; or introducing a further year; and when such enhancements may be introduced. [7758/15]
33. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the investment in the procurement of vehicles to support the work of An Garda Síochána, if any such vehicles will be equipped with additional facilities and supports to assist An Garda Síochána in policing duties in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7109/15]
19. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress in the establishment of a new Garda divisional headquarters in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7108/15]
33. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel participating in overseas missions; the number of missions, their type and location; and the plans to increase the Permanent Defence Force complement to the agreed strength, so as to ensure that overseas missions are not impacted. [6898/15]
18. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Defence in the context of the establishment of an external advisory group to support the production of a White Paper on Defence, if he will confirm membership of this group; when it is hoped that the White Paper will be finalised and brought to Government in order to guide defence policy, including the role to be played by the Defence Forces overseas, in view of the increasing volatility of international relations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6895/15]
554. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when designations were made in the Menlough and Mionlach area of Galway west, in terms of extending the Lough Corrib special area of conservation; if she will confirm which Minister undertook this extension; the date on which it occurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7143/15]
548. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a process exists for de-designating existing special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas; if such de-designations have taken place here; the legislation under which such designations occurs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6870/15]
528. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport following confirmation by the Road Safety Authority, the efforts to secure improved accommodation for driving test centres in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7142/15]
451. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to open applications by newly sanctioned schools (detailed supplied) in County Galway, which are now up and running, to the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme; her views that such schools, in disadvantaged areas, are at a disadvantage by not being able to apply for this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6885/15]
221. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance with regard to the favourite nephew or niece clause, under capital acquisitions tax, his views that this unfairly favours nephews over nieces, as nephews are more likely to be working on the farm; if a niece who worked within the home, caring for their uncle as the uncle's sole carer, could be considered for such relief, or if a clarifying clause could be considered in the future to accommodate such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6910/15]
159. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he and his Department have considered the use of close-containment systems in fish production to meet targets in aquaculture, in view of the many advantages of these systems over traditional fish farming systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6622/15]
22. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide details of the role his Department and its constituent organisations play in terms of the creation of local economic and community plans, with which local authorities have been tasked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6075/15]
21. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the progress of the 2015 year of Irish design and how the initiative interacts and impacts on his Department and its activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6072/15]
11. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the State's improving financial position, if it is an opportune time to review the geographic structure of the civil and public service in consideration of targeted and effective relocation of offices, as such measures would help foster regional economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5771/15]
607. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress to date in establishing three new regional assemblies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6133/15]
558. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills , further to Parliamentary Question No. 547 of 3 February 2015, the criteria for a school to receive assistance for the refurbishment or construction of a physical education hall; and if a school (details supplied) in County Galway has been considered for such support. [6145/15]
556. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when it is proposed to introduce the new system for allocation of resources for special education needs; if the introduction of the new system will be piloted; if not, the reasons for not doing so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6124/15]
555. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the proposed new criteria for determining the allocation of additional educational resources are too restrictive, and that their narrow interpretation could work against the provision of additional supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6123/15]
369. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update regarding the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill which has been subject to delays, owing to legal issues concerning a case in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6125/15]
242. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the concerns that while hire purchase agreements have been regulated under Irish law since 1946, the providers of such agreements and the general activity is not regulated, and as a result, the consumer is placed in an invidious position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6139/15]
162. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on discussions with the chief executive officers of local authorities regarding the commemoration of the Easter Rising in 1916 and the organisation of centenary events; and the strategies being developed at the local level for same.. [5514/15]