Regina Doherty, MEP

Question No. 138 Parliamentary Question €“ Oireachtas 　 To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress being made with the proposed Online Passport Application process; when he anticipates it will be in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Question No. 114 Parliamentary Question €“ Oireachtas 　 To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of alternative methods of identity verification which could release hardworking Gardaí from this administrative duty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. €“ Anthony Lawlor.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the patronage selection for the new national school in Stillorgan/Clonskeagh, County Dublin, will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter?

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if staff paid directly by a recognised school or Vocational Education Committee, whose salaries were adjusted with effect from January 2011, in accordance with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009, and in line with Department of Education Circular Number 0070/2010, will receive an increase in salary under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015?

Ireland South Fine Gael MEP, Deirdre Clune has supported a budget amendment in the European Parliament that increases funding for missing children hotlines across Europe. Commenting on the increase in funding Clune says that the hotlines are still underfunded and that we are not doing enough to help vulnerable children.

Fine Gael TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Joe O’Reilly, has backed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan in his call for a new cross-border taskforce to comprehensively tackle cross-border organised crime, controlled in many areas by the Provisional IRA (PIRA).

Speaking in the Seanad today (Tuesday), Fine Gael Senator for Kerry, Paul Coghlan, has backed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan in his call for a new cross-border taskforce, a measure recommended by the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly report, published in February.

Fine Gael TD for Longford-Westmeath, James Bannon, has been informed by the HSE that a new teleoc machine will become operational in the Midlands Regional Hospital by the end of 2015.

Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly and Chairperson of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, has said that while the fall in unemployment to 9.3% is welcome, it is the drop in youth unemployment to a six year low that is most encouraging.

Fine Gael Waterford Minister Paudie Coffey has said that a €10 million Capital Investment is now ready to go. The Capital Investment will see the transformation of the Apple Market area of Waterford City into a real hub for pedestrians which will help to increase footfall in the heart of the City Centre.