Written answers
Thursday, 26 January 2012
- Department of Social Protection
- Social Welfare Fraud
Question 9: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to tackle the issue of the black economy, particularly those claiming social welfare payments while carrying out...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 10: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who will suffer financial loss as a result of the budget 2012 cut providing that income from employment by the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 15: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of extra civil and public servants who became entitled to claim family income supplement after the pension levy, the public...
- Medical Certificates
Question 16: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the extent of any negotiations held with representative bodies of general practitioners and medical certifiers...
- Employment Support Services
Question 17: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans for the current batch of Tús workers when their existing one year contracts expire; if she will consider making these positions...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 18: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason she failed to conduct an analysis of the poverty and distributive impacts of the budget measures; if she will revise or reverse...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 19: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if as a consequence of budget 2012 recipients of deserted wife's benefit will not be entitled to qualify for illness benefit should they...
- Employment Support Services
Question 20: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have taken up the internship programme that she introduced late last year; her views on the matter; if there is...
- Civil Registration Service
Question 22: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4328/12]
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 23: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the concerns that abolishing concurrent payments will make participation in community employment unaffordable for many lone...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 24: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made on the single working age payment process; if she anticipates reductions in social welfare assistance...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 25: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications for domiciliary care allowance in each of the past three years to date in 2012; the number approved in...
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 26: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is sincere in saying that budget 2012 protects the most vulnerable in our society when the cuts in the materials grant to the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 30: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a significant number of landlords across the State demand a top-up payment from their...
- Employment Support Services
Question 31: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views that the six month transitional one parent family payment was a valuable activation support making work pay; and if she will...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 32: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the Forfás and National Competitiveness Council recommendation that housing benefits should depend on income rather than...
- Redundancy Payments
Question 34: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason she failed to conduct an assessment of the impact of her budgetary measure cutting the redundancy rebate from 60% to 15% on...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 37: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views that her decision to reduce the earnings disregarded for lone parents will have the effect of reinforcing unemployment traps and...
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 40: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of children that will lose €29.80 each week as a consequence of her decision to cut qualified child increases paid to one...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 43: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider removing compensation awarded for damages from means assessment; if she will look into the case of a person (details...
- Employment Support Services
Question 44: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the criteria which debars one parent family recipients from availing of the JobBridge scheme in view of the fact that...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 45: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the average number of weeks it is currently taking to register a social welfare appeal; the average time it is taking to allocate an appeal...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 46: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total number of requests for mortgage interest relief, rent support or other supplementary welfare payment made in each of the past...
- Enterprise Support Services
Question 48: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the actions that she is taking to ensure that the long-term unemployed can develop small businesses and enterprises....
- Employment Support Services
Question 49: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the actions that she is taking to address the regional disparities in unemployment. [4126/12]
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- EU Treaties
Question 50: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has been in contact with EU partners in relation to whether Ireland will need to have a referendum on the EU...
- Emigrant Support Services
Question 52: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will make every effort to advance the prospects of US Senator Schumer's Bill to the United States Senate that...
- Department of Finance
- Tax Code
Question 54: To ask the Minister for Finance if there were any changes to the tax bands or tax credits that could affect any taxpayer as a result of budget 2012; and if he will make a statement...
- Tax Collection
Question 55: To ask the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 is tax compliant in view of the fact that the person received a communication from the Revenue...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 56: To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to encourage new banks to enter the banking market here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4501/12]
- Tax Code
Question 57: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider a change to the VAT regime for travel agents to enable them to offer gross wholesale accommodation prices to Irish agents in...
- Disabled Drivers
Question 61: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider maintaining the tax designation of a vehicle in view of the circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on...
- Tax Collection
Question 62: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding taxes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4552/12]
- Tax Reliefs
Question 63: To ask the Minister for Finance if the rules regarding the mortgage interest relief scheme could be changed to allow for persons renting out a property to benefit from the scheme;...
- Tax Collection
Question 65: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will arrange to have a tax credit certificate for 2012 corrected in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [4591/12]
- Mortgage Arrears
Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding proposals to deal with distressed mortgages; the Departments he has consulted regarding these proposals; and if he will make a...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 67: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Central Bank of Ireland has issued a revised Code of Conduct for Regulated Entities; If his...
- Tax Reliefs
Question 68: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the abolition of tax relief for bin charges, and prior to this, the abolition of tax relief on trade union...
- National Asset Management Agency
Question 69: To ask the Minister for Finance the way the panel of 16 advisers from the financial services sector was appointed by the National Asset Management Agency to assist loan disposals;...
- Tax Yield
Question 70: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of revenue lost through the DIRT free status of An Post investment certificates and bonds. [4631/12]
- Bank Guarantee Scheme
Question 71: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent of participation by institutions covered by the eligible liabilities guarantee in the ECB's recent three year long term re-financing...
- Credit Availability
Question 72: To ask the Minister for Finance his view on the availability of credit in the residential mortgage market particularly for first time buyers and persons seeking to switch their...
- Universal Social Charge
Question 73: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to publish the report prepared for him in respect of the review into the operation of the universal social charge; and if he will make a...
- Government Deficit
Question 74: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will define his interpretation of the term structural deficit and to state, in respect of the years 2008 to 2011, inclusive, his estimate of...
- EU-IMF Programme
Question 76: To ask the Minister for Finance his estimate, based on all currently available information, including the projected deficits for 2013, 2014 and 2015 set out in the medium term...
- Tracker Mortgages
Question 77: To ask the Minister for Finance if he or any officials in his Department or in the Central Bank of Ireland have had discussions with any of the covered institutions regarding...
- EU-IMF Programme
Question 78: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has raised with the troika the possibility of extending the timeline for the Irish banks complying with the requirement to dispose of assets...
- Tax Clearance Certificates
Question 79: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will arrange for a proposal (details supplied) to be re-examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4668/12]
- State Banking Sector
Question 80: To ask the Minister for Finance the advice provided to him by the Central Bank of Ireland and the European Central Bank regarding the solvency of Irish Nationwide Building Society...
- Tax Collection
Question 82: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which tax free allowance and credits are affected by correspondence received by the Revenue Commissioners on 1 January 2012 in the case...
- Jobs Initiative
Question 83: To ask the Minister for Finance the likely net impact on the Exchequer balance in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 of measures announced in the jobs initiative; if an economic...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Schools Amalgamation
Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to progress the amalgamation of schools (details supplied) in County Sligo by 1 March 2012; if he will provide an update on...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 87: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite the provision of a planned extension for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; the current status of the...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 88: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the impact that the new class size ratio and learning support staff ratios will have on a school...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Question 91: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his strategy for ensuring that the tradition of providing education in denominational schools for the Protestant community will be...
- School Staffing
Question 92: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in Dublin 14 which has two teachers allocated to it under the Giving Children an Even...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Departmental Reports
Question 94: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the interdepartmental group on the sale of State assets has yet reported to Government; if he intends to publish this...
- Jobs Initiative
Question 95: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will detail, in tabular form, the amount allocated for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 for each current...
- Sale of State Assets
Question 97: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proportion of the amount raised from the sale of State assets that may be used for job creation; the formula for...
- Public Sector Reform
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 11 January 2012, when the public service-wide review of allowances announced in...
- Employment Rights
Question 99: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of employees of Eircom who once had civil servant status when the company was owned and operated by the Department...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
- Employment Support Services
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the consideration he has given to the possibility of an internship programme for persons who are not on social welfare but...
- Departmental Agencies
Question 101: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied with the adequacy of staff cover in the Industrial Development Agency and Enterprise Ireland; and if he...
- Company Closures
Question 102: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has consulted with any agencies or a company (details supplied) regarding the future use of Dundalk and Kilkenny...
- Work Permits
Question 103: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if a work permit will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on...
- Departmental Agencies
Question 105: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the Industrial Development Agency Border regional office in Cavan town; the number of staff that are...
- Department of Social Protection
- Social Welfare Code
Question 106: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding free travel (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4534/12]
- Civil Registration Service (1 comment)
Question 107: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on a newspaper report that there are plans to provide for compulsory registration of unmarried fathers on...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 108: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to a loophole in governing legislation that grants a block exemption to certain public sector workers...
- Employment Support Services (1 comment)
Question 109: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the consideration she has given to extending the JobBridge scheme to persons who are working in part-time jobs that are not giving them...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 110: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a carer's allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied). [4513/12]
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 112: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person who has been on a Tús work placement may go directly from Tús to a community employment scheme. [4595/12]
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the specific details of the back to work programme, the numbers involved and the rationale behind same; and if she...
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 116: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider a matter to do with to community employment schemes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she intends to extend full welfare benefits to self-employed persons on a par with PAYE employees; and if she will make a statement on...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 118: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 119: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the length of time now taken to process an application for carer's allowance; the number of applications received in each of the past two...
- Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs
- Turbary Rights
Question 129: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 8 November 2011, if he will provide an update on same; and if he will make a...
- Architectural Heritage
Question 130: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in talks with the chairman and chief executive of the Bank of Ireland regarding the use of...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Television Licence Fee
Question 131: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding television licences (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Salmon Management
Question 132: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of money that has been set aside for counting and restocking salmon in the River Barrow in 2012....
- Television Licence Fee
Question 133: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the broadcasting charge (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Household Charge
Question 134: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the properties that are exempt from the property tax; and if he will clarify what constitutes a ghost...
- Appointments to State Boards
Question 136: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the remuneration received by a person (details supplied) for their membership of the boards of the Housing...
- Waste Management
Question 137: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to his consultation with stakeholders, the industry and the public in August 2011 in relation to a...
- Retail Sector Developments
Question 138: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the proposed changes to the retail planning guidelines (details supplied); and if he will make...
- Local Government Elections
Question 139: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the boundary revisions of the local electoral areas will be changed in advance of the summer 2014 local...
- Planning Issues
Question 140: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding re-zoning in County Galway (details supplied). [4499/12]
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 141: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is in receipt of a request for funding from Cork County Council to assist with the installation of a...
- Household Charge
Question 142: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if houses in the rental accommodation scheme are exempt from the household charge; if a landlord who has a...
- Social and Affordable Housing
Question 148: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 18 January 2012, if he will provide a breakdown of the housing...
- Household Charge
Question 149: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify a certain matter regarding the unfinished estates list (details supplied) which has been...
- Local Government Reform
Question 150: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is envisaged that a decision will be taken in relation to directly elected mayors; his views regarding...
- Homeless Persons
Question 151: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the cessation of the night bus service for homeless persons; his plans to...
- Private Rented Accommodation
Question 154: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason a determination order from the Private Residential Tenancies Board in respect of a case (details...
- Household Charge
Question 166: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if residents of an estate (details supplied) in Dublin 13 are exempt from paying the household charge in...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Defence
- Custody Rights (1 comment)
Question 167: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the rights of an unmarried father in terms of access to his children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4597/12]
- Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
Question 168: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the background on the decision to donate the papers relating to the work of the Independent International Commission...
- Parental Leave
Question 175: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the provision in the laws of other EU countries, including Britain, for fathers to share a portion...
- Garda Vetting of Personnel
Question 176: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current backlog of applications in the Garda central vetting unit; the way he intends to tackle this backlog; if his attention has...
- Residency Permits
Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application for upgrade from Stamp 2 to Stamp 4 will be considered in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare;...
- Asylum Applications
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of residency and citizenship status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Residency Permits
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and/or likely residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a...
- Asylum Applications
Question 181: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will indicate in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath, having regard to the extent to which reference has...
- Residency Permits
Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality indicate if and when Stamp 4 will be updated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 184: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when the naturalisation process will be concluded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will...
- Residency Permits
Question 185: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status and entitlement in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 187: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) is qualified to apply for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4706/12]
- Garda Vetting of Personnel
Question 189: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding Garda clearance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on...
- Defence Forces Recruitment
Question 190: To ask the Minister for Defence if entry to the Army cadets is open, fair and transparent and whether families are given priority. [4520/12]
- Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food
- Grant Payments
Question 191: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan may expect to receive their agri-environment options scheme payment;...
- Foreshore Licences
Question 195: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 425 and 429 of 17 May 2011, if this lease is finalised; and if he will make a...
- Grant Payments
Question 196: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received any agri-environment option scheme payments; and if...
- Department of Health
- Child Protection
Question 197: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the development of child protection notification systems within the health system; her further views that it is...
- Inter-Country Adoptions
Question 198: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, in view of her statement that there will be fewer children available for adoption from Vietnam than previously due to...
- Adoption Services
Question 199: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a breakdown which outlines, in terms of the 556 revised declarations to persons who were already in...
- Health Service Staff (1 comment)
Question 200: To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the exemptions sought by the Health Service Executive, including job and grade, to the recruitment embargo...
- Medical Cards
Question 201: To ask the Minister for Health when a decision will issue on an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a...
- Health Service Staff
Question 202: To ask the Minister for Health the plans, if any, the Health Service Executive has to appoint a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon in County Cork; when such an appointment might be...
- Health Services
Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a care package in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [4506/12]
- Nursing Homes Support Scheme
Question 204: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the fair deal scheme in respect of persons (details supplied). [4507/12]
- Health Services
Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health the steps he will take directly with the Health Service Executive to ensure that the necessary supports and therapies are made available to a person...
- Services for People with Disabilities
Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health the current status of Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 with regard to children over five and his intentions in terms of implementation; and if he...
- Health Insurance
Question 207: To ask the Minister for Health his views regarding the current cost of private health insurance; the number of customers that are not in a position to renew their policy; the...
- Health Services
Question 208: To ask the Minister for Health the transport options available to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly. [4517/12]
- Hospital Services
Question 209: To ask the Minister for Health when the new St. Mary's Geriatric Hospital in Mullingar, County Westmeath, will be opened; if the recent cutbacks in budget 2012 will have an effect...
- Health Service Staff
Question 211: To ask the Minister for Health, further to Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 8 November 2011, the further progress which has been made regarding the establishment of a podiatrists...
- Ministerial Staff
Question 213: To ask the Minister for Health if he is recruiting a replacement adviser; the responsibilities any new adviser would assume; the salary any new adviser will be paid; and if he will...
- Accident and Emergency Services
Question 214: To ask the Minister for Health the names and numbers of emergency units that will be downgraded to urgent care centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4607/12]
- Hospital Services
Question 216: To ask the Minister for Health the basis on which community hospitals and beds in community hospitals will close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4609/12]
- Health Insurance
Question 219: To ask the Minister for Health if current legislation prevents private health insurance providers removing themselves from using public sector hospitals; and if he will make a...
- Health Service Staff
Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health if he has discussed the issue of the large cohort of nursing staff in particular leaving the health services in February and the impact this will...
- Health Services
Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health if he and/ or the Health Service Executive has made a policy decision to exclude the public sector from providing long-term nursing care in the...
- Departmental Funding
Question 222: To ask the Minister for Health if he will prioritise funding for a project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4636/12]
- Health Services
Question 225: To ask the Minister for Health the number of children who have been assessed and diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder in the mid-Leinster region in the past five years; and if...
- Medical Cards
Question 227: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Hospital Services
Question 229: To ask the Minister for Health if he will instruct the Health Service Executive to open all the beds in Dingle Hospital, County Kerry, to full capacity with immediate effect in...
- Care of the Elderly
Question 231: To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in the reduction of home care packages and home help hours between 2009 and 2011 for the Dublin Central area. [4739/12]
- Medical Cards
Question 232: To ask the Minister for Health the length of time it should take to make a decision on medical card applications when the applicant has submitted further information that was...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Tourism Industry
Question 233: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided in respect of a festival (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Road Network
Question 234: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if money will be provided under the LIS scheme for non-public roads this year, due to the fact that applications were received...
- Ministerial Staff
Question 236: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of advisers in his Department; the number of high level appointees to committees annually since 2009; the amount...
- Vehicle Testing
Question 237: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there are five commercial vehicle test centres in north Kerry for testing jeeps and vans and there is none in south...
