Results 341-360 of 32,152 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Tax Yield. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: The amount a person has to pay on his or her motor tax is far more than the €4 a week reduction of which the Minister is so proud. The real issue for the Minister is that tax in this area has doubled in the past seven years, and spending has doubled to match, but what frustrates many people is that they do not see the delivery in the health service and the quality of footpaths, roads or...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister stated that the Departments sponsoring these projects follow his Department's guidelines. The Comptroller and Auditor General has indicated, in the case of the roads programme, that an overrun of €4 billion was due to underestimates of items that should have been correctly estimated when projects were originally put forward. He also indicated that there was an additional...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: What sanctions are imposed if a Department does not meet the guidelines? Let us move away from roads and consider the position vis-À-vis hospital projects. In some instances, Ministers have approved projects, investments have been made and then the new facilities could not be opened. Deputy Burton will be aware of a notable example of such a project in her constituency. Surely someone must...

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Is the Minister saying that these problems are always caused by someone who is exploiting the situation?

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: There have been breaches of the guidelines with which the Minister has failed to come to grips.

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Minister said that he was preparing guidelines.

Capital Projects. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: I am not pretending that it is the case.

Benchmarking Awards. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 10: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has decided on the membership of the public service benchmarking body for its next phase of work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7127/05]

Benchmarking Awards. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: On the last occasion, benchmarking cost the taxpayer €1.3 billion. Surely somebody representing the taxpayers' interests should have a role in deciding the membership of the benchmarking body. Should there not be a member of that body who is watching out for issues such as value for money and public service reform? I am not satisfied at the way this is being structured because benchmarking...

Benchmarking Awards. (3 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: The Government did not do very well on the last occasion.

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (8 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 139: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the situation in Sudan; the action of the Government in assisting in the provision of humanitarian assistance in the Darfur region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7623/05]

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 102: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has considered the Amnesty International report on human rights violations concerning the Kurds in Syria published in February 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7614/05]

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (8 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 213: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has received any report from health agencies about the possibility of retaining facilities (details supplied) in use in an area where there is a huge unmet need; and if she can ensure that all existing patients are properly provided for. [7847/05]

Written Answers — Fiscal Policy: Fiscal Policy (8 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 234: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason he confines additional voluntary contributions to the existing pension scheme of an employee, when no such restrictions apply to the self employed, and when contributions to other schemes will promote competition within the pension providers. [8033/05]

Strategic Management Initiative. (9 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach if he has satisfied himself that the strategic management initiative is achieving the objectives set for it. [2538/05]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 60: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is in discussion with any private companies with regard to the provision of new school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7860/05]

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 108: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans she has to introduce a system of weighted allocation for children with special educational needs from September 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7902/05]

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (9 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 261: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to outline the system for fingerprinting and matching from the Garda database; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are complaints of lengthy delays between collection of evidence and return of information on matches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8271/05]

Written Answers — Broadcasting Services: Broadcasting Services (10 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 22: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he expects TG4 to proceed on a stand alone basis in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8310/05]

Written Answers — Television Licence Fee: Television Licence Fee (10 Mar 2005)

Richard Bruton: Question 40: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans for the distribution of the television licence reserve fund; the full extent of this fund at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8311/05]