Written answers
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
- Department of Finance
- Small Business Finance
Question 48: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the Mazars review of lending to small and medium enterprise in the final quarter of 2009 which showed that SME lending was down by 3.6%...
- Economic and Monetary Union
Question 49: To ask the Minister for Finance his proposals to develop better tools within the eurozone for dealing with imbalances within member states. [17132/10]
- Bank Losses
Question 50: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will estimate losses over a three year horizon by the guaranteed credit institutions on that portion of their loan books not destined for the...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 51: To ask the Minister for Finance when he plans to introduce legislation providing for a bank resolution mechanism or living will for insolvent banks; and if he will make a statement...
- Public Service Pay
Question 52: To ask the Minister for Finance the way it is proposed to measure progress against which refunds of public service pay would be made under the proposed public service agreement with...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 53: To ask the Minister for Finance if he expects the National Asset Management Agency to accommodate social objectives in the course of its work; and the way these objectives will be...
- Fiscal Policy
Question 54: To ask the Minister for Finance if the EU has placed further demands on his Department to provide a renewed timeline for deficit reduction; or if the EU is still content with the...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 56: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the desirable restructuring of the banking sector here. [17128/10]
- Public Service Contracts
Question 57: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which public service contracts are allocated to domestic small and medium enterprises; the way this proportion compares to other EU...
- Public Service Appointments
Question 58: To ask the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied that the top level appointment committee gives reasonable scope for appointment from outside the public service and outside the...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 59: To ask the Minister for Finance when he expects to publish the National Asset Management Agency business plan; and if he has discussed the key parameters with the board following...
- Flood Relief
Question 60: To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to address the summer flooding in the Shannon basin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17103/10]
- Air Services
Question 61: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the economy and to the Exchequer, both directly and indirectly, arising from the grounding of commercial airlines due to the...
- Tax Code
Question 62: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether a farmer who puts up a wind turbine to supply power to their own farm and surplus to the grid should be able to claim back VAT...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 63: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to exercise or direct the managers of the National Pension Reserve Fund to exercise the warrants attached to the preference shares acquired...
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 64: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will elaborate on comments attributed to him that he intends to phase out the bank guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Labour Market Trends
Question 65: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will comment on recent labour market trends which show declining participation and increasing emigration; the impact that he expects these...
- Bank Losses
Question 67: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will estimate the level of loan losses expected to be incurred by Anglo Irish Bank arising from its exposure by a company (details supplied);...
- Financial Services Regulation
Question 68: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce credit directives in respect of financial institutions who have received State capital. [17155/10]
- Departmental Expenditure
Question 69: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 31 March 2010, if he will now furnish the details required in respect of the amount of expenditure...
- Unemployment Levels
Question 70: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will comment on the most recent quarterly national household survey which showed that the number of persons unemployed added to those outside...
- Small Business Finance
Question 71: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the establishment and activities to date of the credit review office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17228/10]
- Economic Growth
Question 72: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will comment on the latest quarterly national accounts which showed a record 11.3% fall in GNP for 2009; if he will provide an estimate for GNP...
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 73: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent of State aid that has been involved in the bank guarantee scheme since it commenced operating; and if there are plans to recoup this aid...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 74: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the preparation of a revised National Asset Management Agency business plan; when he expects the publication of a revised NAMA...
- Financial Services Regulation
Question 76: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether the current regulatory process for auditing firms is adequate; if the self-regulatory regime for accountants and auditors should...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 78: To ask the Minister for Finance if with the passage of time the assumptions and calculations made by him and his Department in the compilation of the National Asset Management...
- Tax Code
Question 79: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has met or been briefed by airlines (details supplied) on the air travel tax; his views on the recent statements (details further supplied) on...
- Financial Services Regulation
Question 80: To ask the Minister for Finance the steps which he is taking to address the cost of sub-prime mortgages; the discussions he has had with the Financial Regulator on the issue; and if...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 81: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will arrange to present full details of the worked costings of keeping Anglo Irish Bank as a going concern, compared to an orderly wind down of...
- Financial Services Regulation
Question 83: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether the credit bureau system where information on credit performance is pooled among participating financial institutions should be...
- Flood Relief
Question 84: To ask the Minister for Finance when the next phase of funding will be made available by the Office of Public Works to local authorities in 2010 for minor works and studies to...
- Fiscal Policy
Question 85: To ask the Minister for Finance the way it is envisaged that Ireland will fund up to €480 million to lend to Greece under the emergency EU-led lending facility; and if he will...
- Small Business Finance
Question 86: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether the completion of the National Asset Management Agency will not see a significant increase in lending here; his further views on...
- Job Protection
Question 87: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the status of a company (details supplied); the number of entities that have expressed an interest in acquiring the insurance...
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 88: To ask the Minister for Finance the liabilities currently guaranteed under the credit institutions financial support scheme; the liabilities currently guaranteed under the eligible...
- Tax Collection
Question 89: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress made to date by the Revenue Commissioners in its investigation into offshore assets and foreign-held bank accounts; and if he will make...
- Mortgage Arrears
Question 90: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress made to date by the interdepartmental mortgage arrears review group; if he envisages a need for legislation to implement the...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 91: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason, in view of the relationship framework, pursuant to section 3 of the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009, any information and...
- General Government Deficits
Question 92: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will comment on the publication by EUROSTAT of 2009 data on deficits and debt burdens of EU Governments which showed Ireland to have had the...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 93: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether increases in bank charges and interest rates are consistent with the banking policy; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 94: To ask the Minister for Finance the mechanism and terms for the conversion of preference shares in banks (details supplied) held by the National Pensions Reserve Fund to ordinary...
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 95: To ask the Minister for Finance if he is in a position to identify all of the bond-holders; the size of their exposure; the extent to which their risk has been insured within...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 97: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount and the terms of promissory notes transferred to date by the Government to Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society; the...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans for parliamentary oversight of the National Asset Management Agency. [17133/10]
- National Pensions Reserve Fund
Question 99: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will indicate the recommendations which his Department has made in terms of ethical foreign policy to the interdepartmental committee which has...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Finance the criteria that were applied in the tendering process for auditing firms to the National Asset Management Agency; his views following the...
- Small Business Finance
Question 101: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will comment on the current small and medium enterprise lending environment; his views on proposals which would ameliorate this lending...
- Banks Recapitalisation
Question 102: To ask the Minister for Finance the implications of having to find the recapitalisation money for Anglo Irish Bank and a building society (details supplied) from the annual budget...
- Tax Yield
Question 104: To ask the Minister for Finance if the trends in the Exchequer returns to date in 2010 give confidence that the end of year targets will be achieved; and if he will make a...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 105: To ask the Minister for Finance the position on talks regarding the investment by a private equity firm (details supplied) into an building society; and if he will make a statement...
- Tobacco Smuggling
Question 106: To ask the Minister for Finance if a Garda file has yet been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, arising from the seizure of 120 million cigarettes at Greenore, County...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 107: To ask the Minister for Finance the structure and investors in the National Asset Management Agency special purpose vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17231/10]
- Expenditure Review Group
Question 108: To ask the Minister for Finance if he plans to request a further report from the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2010. [17131/10]
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 109: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress made to date with respect to the viability and business plans for the credit institutions covered by the bank guarantee submitted to...
- National Solidarity Bond
Question 111: To ask the Minister for Finance when he expects the national solidarity bonds, as announced in budget 2010, to be available for subscription; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Financial Institutions Support Scheme
Question 114: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to any recent interest from foreign investors in taking strategic or controlling stakes in any of the credit...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the introduction of a bailout tax, as recommended by the International Monetary Fund, to tax financial institutions' non-deposit...
- Financial Services Regulation
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will explore the role of credit rating agencies in the financial crisis; if it will be within the remit of the Financial Regulator or the...
- Department of An Taoiseach
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 118: To ask the Taoiseach the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17264/10]
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
- Redundancy Payments
Question 119: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason for the ongoing delay in processing an application to the insolvent fund within his Department from persons who...
- Work Permits
Question 120: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to reform the work permit system; if he will review the conditions on the right to change employer; and if he...
- Employment Support Services
Question 121: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the numbers of persons who have been placed in jobs through the work placement programme over the past three years. [17238/10]
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 122: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will...
- Department of Finance
- Public Service Appointments
Question 123: To ask the Minister for Finance the appointments made by the top level appointments committee in each of the past five years; the number of applicants; the number of applicants...
- Flood Relief
Question 124: To ask the Minister for Finance the terms of reference of the Lee Valley catchment area review of flooding; the person who will conduct the review; when same will report; and if he...
- Tax Code
Question 125: To ask the Minister for Finance the taxation applicable to the gratuity paid on retirement to retained firefighters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17052/10]
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 126: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Fiscal Policy
Question 127: To ask the Minister for Finance the desired breakdown between spending and taxation of the proposed €2 billion reduction in the current Exchequer deficit in view of the draft...
- Public Sector Pay
Question 128: To ask the Minister for Finance the conditions that constitute an unforeseen budgetary deterioration in the context of the draft public service agreement. [17312/10]
- Tax Collection
Question 132: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is taxed at the higher tax band; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17317/10]
- Department of Health and Children
- Health Services
Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if students at a primary school (details supplied) in County Cork will receive an eye examination and a hearing examination during the...
- Pension Provisions
Question 134: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Meath can avail of early retirement on ill health grounds if offered at present without loss of...
- Medical Cards
Question 135: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Misuse of Drugs
Question 136: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to ban a substance (details supplied) on sale in head shops; the full list of head shop products that she proposes to ban; and...
- Nursing Home Services
Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the 100 bed community nursing unit at Raheny, Dublin 5, will open; the reasons for the delay; if the delay is due to funding...
- Nursing Homes Support Scheme
Question 138: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received a fair deal application from a person (details supplied) in County Cork; when the application will be activated; and...
- Long-Term Illness Scheme
Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person who suffers from a condition (details supplied) is entitled to be considered under the long-term illness scheme for free...
- Hospital Staff
Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the plans that are in place to continue the existing services and to implement improvements in view of the imminent retirement of the...
- Health Services
Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will support the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [17235/10]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
Question 142: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17241/10]
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if she will make a...
- Health Services
Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be offered services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17283/10]
- Medical Cards
Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a medical card will be renewed in the case of a person (detail supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Hospital Services
Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a procedure will be offered in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Health Services
Question 147: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if home help can be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17286/10]
- Medical Cards
Question 148: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Health Services
Question 149: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, further to Parliamentary Question No. 166 of 10 February 2010, when a reply will issue from the Health Service Executive. [17319/10]
- Accident and Emergency Services
Question 150: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by the Irish Association for Medicine regarding the recruitment of...
- Department of Transport
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 151: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Agencies
Question 152: To ask the Minister for Transport if the National Roads Authority raises and provides its own funding independently of Government and his budget; and if he will make a statement on...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Citizenship Applications
Question 153: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved Irish citizenship. [17054/10]
- Detention Centres
Question 154: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will clarify his commitment to develop a new national children detention facility at Oberstown near Lusk, County...
- Crime Levels
Question 155: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of crimes committed by persons awaiting trial and granted bail by the courts between 2007 and 2009, inclusive;...
- Garda Training
Question 157: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of training places and courses available to gardaí at the Training Centre, Templemore, County Tipperary and at...
- Garda Recruitment
Question 158: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 409, 417 and 418 of 23 March 2010, the cost of training each garda recruit...
- Legal Fees
Question 162: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the cost in legal fees to the taxpayer in the case of a person (details supplied) [i]v [/i]the Garda Commissioner and the...
- Maintenance Payments
Question 163: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will sign the new regulations to enable arrears of maintenance payment to be enforced; if he is satisfied that...
- Garda Stations
Question 164: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the substandard Garda accommodation at a location (details supplied) in County Cork; if...
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 165: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will...
- Asylum Applications
Question 166: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on extending residency in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a...
- Residency Permits
Question 167: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for residency in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he...
- Visa Applications
Question 168: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a holiday visa will be extended in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare on health grounds; and if...
- Residency Permits
Question 169: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for residency in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he...
- Crime Levels
Question 170: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the crime detection rate by Garda division in each of the years 2007 to 2009. [17325/10]
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- Consular Services
Question 171: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the response by each Irish embassy or consulate by location regarding the manning of out of hours service provided to the public by each...
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 172: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on...
- Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
- National Drugs Strategy
Question 174: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the names of all community organisations based in Dublin 5, 13 and 17 receiving funding under the national drugs...
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 175: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he...
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Registration of Deaths
Question 176: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a recent report suggesting that the provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 are not being...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 177: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be approved farm assist. [17050/10]
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the grounds on which an appeal of an application for a carer's allowance was turned down in respect of a person (details supplied)...
- Pension Provisions
Question 179: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way the pension of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14 will be calculated under the new national pensions framework in...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) has not received their food supplement for diabetes for the past two weeks. [17248/10]
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 181: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 182: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent supplement will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [17282/10]
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 186: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when unemployment assistance or jobseeker's appeal will be heard in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 187: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when unemployment assistance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a...
- Department of Defence
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 189: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Social and Affordable Housing
Question 190: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the conditions for eligibility for house purchase loans from local government; and if he will make a...
- Proposed Legislation
Question 191: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the recreational activities that will be controlled and the regulations to be introduced to address invasive...
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 192: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and...
- Water Services
Question 193: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding a matter (details supplied). [17270/10]
- Waste Disposal
Question 195: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received correspondence regarding the stench emanating from a landfill at Kerdiffstown, Naas,...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 196: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if...
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme
Question 197: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the details of all REP scheme payments made in respect of a land holding and herd number (details supplied) in County Mayo....
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 199: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if he will make...
- Department of Education and Science
- Higher Education Grants
Question 200: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the education grants that are available to one-parent families who are in receipt of one parent family payment and who...
- Teacher Training
Question 201: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the number of students enrolled for the Bachelor of Education course that commenced in 2009 in St. Patrick's College,...
- Appointments to State Boards
Question 206: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the appointments or nominations made by her to bodies, boards or organisations under the aegis of her Department since 1...
- School Transport
Question 207: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if a review of school transport boundaries and a value for money review on school transport has been completed; if such...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 208: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 435 of 30 March 2010, when she will formally write to special schools confirming...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 210: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science when construction will begin on a school (details supplied) in County Cork which has now been granted planning...
- Parliamentary Questions
Question 211: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the number of parliamentary questions that have remained unanswered due to staff action to date in 2010; and if she will...
- Higher Education Grants
Question 212: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if a person who already holds a primary degree but cannot secure work due to the fact that their qualification is in...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 213: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the appointment of a design team for the required extension to a school (details supplied) in...
- School Accommodation
Question 216: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if the forward planning section of her Department has completed its analysis of secondary school accommodation...
