Results 45,421-45,440 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Levels (27 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Health the statistics available to him in relation to obesity here; the number of Irish adults that are now obese; the number that are men; the number that are women; the way the figures compare to other countries; the level of increase in obesity here in the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52470/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Levels (27 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Health if there is a specific strategy in place to tackle child obesity; the number of Irish children that are obese; the way this compares to 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52471/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (27 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Health the number of weight loss operations that have been carried out by the health service here in 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; the number of hospitals here providing these operations; the waiting list for such an operation; the number of persons currently waiting on an operation for weight loss; the amount of funding in place for such operations; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (27 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients accessing weight management services in hospitals here; the amount of funding that was provided to these services in 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; the number of persons on a waiting list to access these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52473/12]

Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: As part of its 16 days of action on domestic violence, Women's Aid today launched the "One in Five Women" campaign to highlight the fact that one in five Irish women experience domestic violence. The Government has given a commitment to review domestic violence legislation. Will the Minister indicate when she expects the review to take place?

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: Deputy Adams would know.

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: Deputy Adams should take his own advice.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way that he oversees the operation of autism spectrum disorders units; the supports and training provided for staff in these units; the standards and best practice models being utilised to ensure these ADS units are maximised to their potential; the number of ASD units currently in place in primary and secondary schools and the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration for children with special needs should be incorporated in the enrolment policy of primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51170/12]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social, Personal and Health Education Curriculum: Discussion with Comhairle na nÓg (14 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: I know a bit about Dail na nÓg because I was a member of the first Dáil na nÓg for County Wicklow before a Comhairle na nÓg had been established. I have gone backwards since then. It was an interesting experience and I learned a lot from it. The delegate report indicates that efforts are ongoing to make the process work more effectively and demand more from it, which is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Forthcoming Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (14 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: Let us consider issue 5 on the agenda for the Council meeting of 26 November, namely, improving teacher quality and status at a time of scarce resources. The Minister has referred to our Presidency considering the importance of teacher evaluation. Will he give us more detail on what he plans on telling his counterparts in this regard? What is the up-to-date Irish position? I presume...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is correct that a directive has been given to the carer's allowance section whereby two teams have been set up, one to deal with all carer's allowance applications from August 2012 and the second to deal with all applications received prior to August 2012; is it correct that applications from August 2012 will be dealt with quicker than...

Order of Business (13 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: I congratulate the Government and our diplomats on the successful election of Ireland to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Children's rights obviously comprise an important part of human rights. In this regard, I congratulate the Minister for Children, Deputy Fitzgerald, and all those involved in the "Yes" campaign, including the NGOs, on the successful passage of the referendum....

Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: Deputy Boyd Barrett never needed one.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the criteria in place for a student to avail of a smaller exam centre in a State exam and also for a student to have a person read the exam questions during the junior or leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49868/12]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (13 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the backlog for carer's allowance payments; the number of outstanding applications; the average length of time each new claim takes to process from initial application to payment; the number of staff allocated to deal with new claims; the steps she take to reduce the backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50114/12]

Tax Transparency Bill 2012: Second Stage [Private Members] (9 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: I will be brief. At the outset, I ask for less than a minute of the Ceann Comhairle's forbearance regarding an issue referred to by Deputy O'Donovan just prior to the Ceann Comhairle's arrival in the Chamber. This is my last opportunity to raise it before the Dáil adjourns for the week. Another Member of the House, Deputy Mattie McGrath, made comments on the national broadcaster...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive - Review of Allowances (8 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: Does the HSE see a value from the allowance?

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive - Review of Allowances (8 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: I have two more questions. There is craft worker's tool allowance, an allowance given to craft workers for the purchase of their tools. I understand it is abolished for new beneficiaries. I though this was peculiar. We have this provision in other sectors, such as the local authorities. I understand 352 staff received this allowance in 2011 and it amounted to €280,497. What...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive - Review of Allowances (8 Nov 2012)

Simon Harris: To reiterate, it would be useful to see on-call and seasonal allowances broken down by grade. One of the key bodies of work we have been doing in the past number of meetings is to try to look at where the allowances are going and the salary scale of those receiving the allowances so that we have an informed opinion on whether these people are earning a substantial public sector salary or...