8. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the provision of loans to farmers at an interest rate of 2.95% represents good value for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32191/16]
194. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether the provision of child care needs to move away from the profit driven model currently in place, in view of the issue of low wages for workers in child care facilities, very high fees for parents using these facilities and the demand that will arise for child care places after future schemes are introduced; her plans to develop child care as a State-funded service provision into the future in view of the fact that her Department already funds an array of State schemes in private run facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32217/16]
193. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way the single affordable childcare scheme will prevent child care facilities from driving up prices even further; the monitoring mechanisms in place to prevent this; if the introduction of a cap on fees will be introduced sooner rather than later in an effort to prevent price hikes, a cap similar to that already introduced as part of the state funded ECCE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32216/16]
192. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will elaborate on the single affordable childcare scheme and the way it aims to raise the low income of workers in the child care industry; the way she will ensure that the subsidy will be passed on to workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32215/16]
191. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Ireland will call for an agreement that any member state may unilaterally withdraw from the provisional application of CETA; if Ireland will oppose any action or call to pressurise any state or region opposing this agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32180/16]
190. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way the policy decision of the Government on the matter of provisionally applying CETA complies with its legal obligations under Article 7 of the Aarhus Convention in respect of public participation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32179/16]
189. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the reason Ireland is prepared to advance CETA to authorise its signing and contemplate some degree of provisional application in the absence of CJEU on the EU-Singapore free trade agreement, EUSFTA; the reason further clarification is needed on the matter of competencies for the elements of the agreement; if she will obtain clarification from the CJEU on the legality of the investment court system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32178/16]
188. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the fact that the ICS aspect of CETA remains an element of the finalised text of the trade agreement and that this could create a regulatory chilling effect on its potential implementation at some future date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32177/16]
187. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 12 October 2016, if she will provide clarity on the authority of her statement in relation to an EU Council decision not to include the ICS as part of the provisional application of CETA, taking into account this decision has not been made public and is in direct contradiction of the Commission proposal published in July 2016 which proposed to provisionally apply the whole agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32176/16]
98. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding negotiations over ownership of Rockall; the steps being taken by him to secure Ireland’s territorial claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32243/16]
83. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the status of an application by a person (details supplied) under the disability allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32218/16]
45. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will expand on the measure announced in budget 2017 in relation to biomass, including the €50 million of capital spending to assist in the development of the renewable heat incentive; his plans to extend the renewable heat incentive to domestic energy users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32057/16]
16. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will expand on the measures announced in budget 2017 in relation to broadband, including an update on the technological solutions emerging through the tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32058/16]
592. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 12 October 2016, if she will provide immediate clarification of the nature of the charge upon public funds envisaged; the basis for her determination that this constitutional provision is appropriate; if the State intends to rely on Article 29.8 of the Constitution in view of the fact that it will not involve a decision of Seanad Éireann (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31742/16]
494. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of severely disabled children that are registered with the HSE who live in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/16]
493. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children in County Donegal with high-complex needs, rare diseases and life-limiting conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/16]
344. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the negotiations with the Crown Estates in relation to the transfer of powers to the Loughs Agency in order for them to control the licensing of aquaculture within Lough Foyle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32027/16]
47. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason a €6 million cut was carried out in budget 2017 to islands and Gaeltacht communities, taking into account the threat these communities already face to their survival, particularly in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31035/16]
14. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason the arts budget was cut by 16%, amounting to €30 million in budget 2017, taking into account the huge benefits the arts provide for island, rural and Gaeltacht communities and the impact this will have on tourism development in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31105/16]
27. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a breakdown, by grade, of the number of civil servants participating in additional voluntary contribution, AVC, schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30927/16]
15. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the savings to the Exchequer if public sector pensions were capped at €50,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30928/16]
592. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made on the regulation of the farrier trade to ensure that horse owners have access to a register of qualified farriers and to ensure that the farrier they employ is suitably qualified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30595/16]
339. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason young persons were not given an increase in their jobseeker's allowance payment in line with other social protection payments in view of the fact that while youth unemployment is down, it still stands at 16%, more than double the 2007 rate; the amount which is saved by not increasing the payment to the full €5 per week in line with other payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30821/16]
279. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the amount of the €50 million of the €200 million local infrastructure housing activation fund that will be allocated to County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30957/16]
92. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will set aside time in Dáil Éireann to discuss CETA before the signing of the provisional application at the next Council of Ministers meeting on 16 October 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29900/16]
3. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance if he will support a recommendation to divest the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund of its investments in fossil fuels as an outcome of the mid-term review of the ISIF investment strategy this autumn (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29899/16]
639. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if, in order to facilitate Dáil Éireann being able to make a properly informed decision on whether it should ratify CETA when it comes before the House, she will ensure that Ireland will immediately pursue an Article 218(11) reference to the Court of Justice under the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU to clarify the legality of the investment arbitration proposals in CETA under EU law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29861/16]
596. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider providing funding for the road to Aranmore Island lighthouse, Tory Island lighthouse and the Aranmore Island ring road in recognition of their importance to the tourism infrastructure on the islands that are on the Wild Atlantic Way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29517/16]
332. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if Roinn na Gaeltachta has considered funding the provision of a footbridge on the R257 at Bunbeg, County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29518/16]
58. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) may expect to have an application for naturalisation processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29065/16]
15. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reverse the decision to means-test persons receiving the back to education allowance, BTEA, which was implemented in April 2016 with no notification provided to students; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that local social protection offices are treating part-time work on BTEA in the same manner as they would jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28752/16]
43. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the independent panel on mica is due to report its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28644/16]
41. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the consultation which took place with the banks when drafting the incremental purchase scheme for tenant purchases of local authority housing to ensure banks would grant mortgages where a local authority charge is based on an authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28645/16]
616. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process. [28406/16]
585. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28408/16]
523. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28315/16]
348. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in her Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which her Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary processes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28316/16]
339. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28407/16]
321. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will increase efforts to secure the release of a person (details supplied) from prison in Egypt in view of his recent decision to refuse visitors in case the visits are being used by authorities to delay the trial process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28488/16]
318. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in his Department's statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way in which his Department is engaging with the programme for a partnership Government commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28317/16]
244. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department has offered Sligo County Council additional support of €200,000 per annum to resolve the crisis in the library service; if similar support will be provided for the Donegal library service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28617/16]
101. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a company (details supplied) is used, or has been used in the past, by State agencies involved in the assessment of asylum claims here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28218/16]
62. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make additional funding available in the upcoming budget to institutes of technology, which have been disproportionately affected by the cuts to third-level institutions since 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28377/16]
45. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools in the upcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28379/16]
41. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to achieve by the end of 2016 the Acton Plan for Education objective to map out new approaches in order to reach the target of 400 new non-denominational and multi-denominational schools by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28380/16]
35. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill will reach Committee Stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28381/16]
29. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase the capitation rate for children in primary education in the upcoming budget in order that parents and communities will not have to fund-raise constantly to provide an education for their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28378/16]
37. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance the way he is responding to the commitment, taking into account the Paris Agreement which commits the states to making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low emissions and climate resilient development; if he will consult with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the upcoming review of the investment strategy of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27545/16]
8. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance if he will back the European financial transactions tax, FTT, initiative and support the introduction of the FTT here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27547/16]
237. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will respond to the recently published estimates by a member of the Government's Climate Change Advisory Council that failure to meet Ireland's EU 2020 and 2030 climate action targets could result in a shrinking of fiscal space by €3 billion to €6 billion; the way in which his Department will respond to the potential risk to public finances this poses and if serious action will be carried out to increase climate ambition and action here; if this action will be included in the national mitigation plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27707/16]