Written answers
Wednesday, 23 February 2005
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 71: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the welfare traps that are associated to the one parent family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6089/05]
- Family Support Services
Question 74: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has read and considered a policy position paper from an organisation (details supplied) on recognising the realities of the...
- Child Support
Question 75: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of children awaiting assessment for the crèche supplement by a social worker or health sector personal social services...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 76: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on claims by the Migrant Rights Centre that restrictions on welfare benefits for non-Irish citizens are placing migrant...
- Family Support Services
Question 77: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will respond to criticism voiced by the One Family group that the delay in reversing changes in the operation of the back to...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 78: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has satisfied himself that the definition of fraud in his Department is adequate. [6074/05]
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 79: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on a report by the Central Statistics Office of January 2005, which revealed that nearly 15% of children here under the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 80: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to address the gross inequality of treatment of asylum seekers in the context of direct provision; if he will...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 81: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on a EU publication, the Report on Gender Equality between Men and Women, of February 2005, which revealed that Irish...
- Pension Provisions
Question 82: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date on the introduction of a personal pension entitlement for pensioner spouses currently in receipt of the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 83: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which increasing the child dependant allowance would result in a welfare trap; the welfare traps which would emerge; and...
- Pension Provisions
Question 86: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he intends to take to increase the number of workers in the private sector who have pensions; his response to recent data...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 88: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has progressed his plan for part of the rent supplement budget to be used for the purchase of housing. [6080/05]
- Nursing Home Charges
Question 90: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the practice of health authorities holding the pension books of older persons in public nursing homes...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 91: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has reviewed the habitual residence condition; if he has considered the hardship this condition has caused in many cases in...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 92: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to extend the Christmas bonus scheme to clients that are on long term disability benefit in view of the unfairness of the...
- Family Support Services
Question 96: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his response to recent comments from a person (details supplied) that family policy in Ireland adds to child poverty and to family...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the safety nets that exist for persons who do not have a history of tenancy but who need an emergency social welfare payment, such...
- Pension Provisions
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the consideration he has given to having the homemaker disregard made retrospective from 1973. [6073/05]
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 102: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to calls from a lone parents organisation (details supplied) for recognition for lone parent...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 111: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he has taken or proposals he has considered to make the social welfare system father friendly; and if he will make a...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 112: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of one parent families which are in receipt of the one parent family payment; and the percentage of one parent families...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 116: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which cuts imposed in the budget of a year ago have impacted on social welfare recipients; the full extent of the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has plans to change the dual eligibility rule for persons in receipt of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 123: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on the criteria which guide the denial of benefit of unemployment assistance to persons particularly the phrase...
- Pension Provisions
Question 124: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications received to date for the pre 1953 pension; the number of applications rejected by his Department; the...
- Department of Health and Children
- General Medical Services Scheme
Question 127: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the ratio of patients to doctors, general practitioners, medical card holders, private patients as determined by her...
- Cancer Screening Programme
Question 128: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the national mammogram service has not yet been extended to Letterkenny...
- Health Services
Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount deducted from the pensions or allowances of patients in public or publicly funded psychiatric facilities in each...
- Cancer Screening Programme
Question 134: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans and timetable for the rollout of BreastCheck in the west of Ireland; when she intends to have the screening...
- Nursing Home Subventions
Question 135: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a 35-bed unit requires 760 hours of nurse and carer attention per week;...
- Mental Health Services
Question 136: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if psychiatric patients who are in public institutions will have all moneys deducted from their benefits or pensions...
- Health Service Executive
Question 137: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the total cost of the changeover for stationery in each health board area when changing to the HSE; and if she will make a...
- Nursing Home Subventions
Question 138: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford is entitled to a refund following the Supreme Court decision of 16...
- Health Service Allowances
Question 141: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the review of the domiciliary allowance of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she...
- Health Services
Question 142: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Health Services Executive will keep in contact with persons (details supplied) in Dublin 8 concerning a proposed...
- Medical Cards
Question 143: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the health agency will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6W; and if a medical card will issue for...
- Health Services
Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive intends to demolish a day care centre at a facility (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [6333/05]
- Services for People with Disabilities
Question 145: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the provision of a special needs place for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [6335/05]
- General Register Office
Question 146: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the level of controls or supervision her Department has in the appointment of key medical professionals in medical,...
- Hospital Services
Question 147: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take to have a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath admitted to St. James's Hospital or St....
- Health Services
Question 148: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason ENT services were discontinued at Longford County Clinic, Longford; if her attention has been drawn to the...
- Department of Finance
- Decentralisation Programme
Question 149: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of members of staff of the Revenue Commissioners who were due to decentralise to Athy, County Kildare; if it is still intended to send...
- Disabled Drivers
Question 151: To ask the Minister for Finance when an appeal under the disabled drivers tax concessions scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be heard; if an appeals board...
- Tax Collection
Question 152: To ask the Minister for Finance the terms of any concessions made by his predecessor or Department to any of a number of companies (details supplied) with regard to taxation; and...
- Tax Code
Question 153: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will arrange with the Revenue Commissioners to adjust the tax being deducted from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 to reflect the...
- Flood Relief
Question 154: To ask the Minister for Finance if the river banks of two rivers in County Cork (details supplied) will be built up or bridged; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Coastal Protection
Question 155: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he proposes to make funding available to Waterford County Council for remedial works in regard to coastal...
- Housing Grants
Question 156: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will consider introducing a renewable energy grant, such as the clear skies grant offered in the UK, to...
- Decentralisation Programme
Question 157: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the provisions being put in place to facilitate the 180 staff who have volunteered through the central...
- Electricity Generation
Question 158: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed (details supplied); if he will respond to same; and if...
- Postal Services
Question 159: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in view of the introduction of a national pay by weight charge if there are plans to introduce measures which...
- Coastal Protection
Question 160: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether €2.882 million is a totally adequate amount to deal with coastal erosion by way of...
- Harbours and Piers
Question 161: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will approve the commencement of work on a pier (details supplied) in County Cork. [6250/05]
- Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism
- Official Engagements
Question 162: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his proposed itinerary for St. Patrick's week celebrations and if he will make a statement in the matter [6116/05]
- Sports Capital Programme
Question 164: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the lotto funding application submitted by Institute of Technology, Sligo for the new multipurpose sports centre will provide a...
- Swimming Pool Projects
Question 166: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of grant aid that has been provided since 1995 to assist the provision of privately owned leisure facilities that include...
- Sports Capital Programme
Question 167: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will approve funding for a sports capital application for a club (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- FÁS Training Programmes
Question 170: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the attached submission will be addressed in regard to the provision of accommodation for the participants; and if he...
- Construction Industry
Question 171: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the labour inspectorate of his Department has received correspondence from persons (details supplied) in County Galway...
- Job Losses
Question 172: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of those currently at work in the Tallaght area, Dublin 24 in view of recent job losses in this area; and if he...
- Grocery Industry
Question 173: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address the concerns of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry regarding the Groceries Order; and if he will...
- National Minimum Wage
Question 174: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a company (details supplied) at the Dublin Port Tunnel which is paying its staff €1,935 per month is in breach of...
- Live Register
Question 175: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the unemployment level in Cobh, Mitchelstown and Youghal respectively; his further views on job losses and...
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 176: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the process and procedures taken by his Department in the event of reclaiming welfare overpayments; and if he will make a...
- Health Service Allowances
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount deducted from the disability allowances for patients accommodated in State or State funded facilities in each year for...
- Local Authority Housing
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons who have been refused rent allowance on the basis of having to meet such payments for the first six months...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 183: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals in respect of one parent family allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6262/05]
- Social Welfare Payments
Question 184: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications for one parent family allowance that have been refused or reduced in the past 12 months; and if he will...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 185: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals to enhance, improve or extend the free schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6264/05]
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 187: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of non-contributory pension applications received in the past 12 months; the number approved, refused or pending; the...
- Family Support Services
Question 194: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the concept of shared parenting; the measures he has put in place to encourage and support shared parenting; and if...
- Social Inclusion Measures
Question 195: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which he has taken into account the ethnic origin of families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6323/05]
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 196: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the maximum that can be earned per week which will allow persons to receive the full amount of the one parent family payment; when...
- Department of Transport
- Commercial Vehicle Testing
Question 200: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will consider granting a testing licence for light commercial vehicles without the heavy commercial testing for persons without the facility...
- Road Traffic Offences
Question 201: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to introduce legislation to ban the use by drivers of hand held mobile telephones in cars. [6247/05]
- National Car Test
Question 202: To ask the Minister for Transport his response to accusations that the national car testing service is acting outside its remit and raising unwarranted revenue when it issues test...
- Driving Tests
Question 203: To ask the Minister for Transport when a driving test appointment will be made for a person (details supplied). [6258/05]
- Rail Network
Question 204: To ask the Minister for Transport if EU or other peace process funding is available for North-South rail projects. [6302/05]
- Airport Development Projects
Question 206: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the CAT system upgrade required at Knock Airport to ensure the safe landing of all aircraft at the airport; if...
- Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
- Fostaíocht Gaeltachta
Question 207: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad é an bhail atá ar thionscal (sonraí tugtha), cad iad na hiarrachtaí atá ar siúl an mhonarcha a athoscailt, an...
- School Safety
Question 208: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number and location of flashing amber safety lights at schools installed nationally, as part of the funding...
- Community Development
Question 209: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs , further to Question No. 225 of 9 February 2005, his views on whether the issue involves discrimination; and if he...
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- Potato Sector
Question 210: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will postpone the introduction of PCN charges on seed potato producers until full consultation can take place between her...
- EU Directives
Question 211: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food in view of the fact that the implementation of the nitrates directive will have a major impact on agriculture in Donegal, if she will...
- Veterinary Practices
Question 212: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food in view of the fact that veterinary cover is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve in western parts of the country, the plans she...
- Grant Payments
Question 213: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her officials will include this animal (details supplied) in this person's (details supplied) cattle movement monitoring system...
- Animal Welfare
Question 215: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on whether current legislation provides for proper controls in preventing the ill-treatment of animals; her proposals to...
- Proposed Legislation
Question 216: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she intends to publish the animal health Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6307/05]
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme
Question 217: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a REP scheme payment has not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement...
- Single Payment Scheme
Question 218: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in view of correspondence, a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath has been considered for additional entitlements; and if...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Disability Support Service
Question 220: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which he intends to spend the extra €3 million in disability funding allocated to it in budget 2005. [6248/05]
- Visa Applications
Question 221: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to student visa applications in respect of ten students who are English speaking and have sworn...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 222: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to an application for Irish citizenship by a person (details supplied) County Carlow; and if he...
- Disability Support Service
Question 223: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the disability, mental health, human rights or other organisations which have made representations, had contact with or made...
- Departmental Correspondence
Question 224: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide a response in relation to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Education and Science
- School Transport
Question 225: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by school bus users, in an area (details supplied), due to...
- Stádas Scoile
Question 227: To ask the Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta an féidir glacadh le scoil (sonraí tugtha) atá suite sa Ghaeltacht d'aistriú ar ais ó scoil ina múintear ábhair trí Bhéarla go...
- School Accommodation
Question 228: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) in County Wexford has exceeded its maximum numbers and has...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 231: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department has changed its options in regard to a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if so, the new plan for the...
- School Closures
Question 234: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will liaise closely and consult with the principal, staff, students and parents of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 to...
- Bullying in Schools
Question 238: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on whether each secondary school should have an anti-bullying policy in place; the guidelines her Department has issued in...
- Higher Education Grants
Question 239: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to a course (details supplied) which is not yet on the list of Department approved courses for students...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 240: To ask the Minister for Education and Science , further to Question No. 500 of 15 February 2005, the reason for the delay in passing on the outcome of the special needs assistance...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 241: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the provision of an extension at a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if this can be dealt with as a...
- Educational Disadvantage
Question 242: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in regard to the involvement in the SSRI strand of the school completion programme of a school (details supplied) in...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 243: To ask the Minister for Education and Science , further to Question No. 150 of 17 February 2005, the expert advice her Department obtained to assess the needs of the person in...
- Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Waste Management
Question 244: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to provide or support the provision of a paper and cardboard waste recycling facility following the...
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 245: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the connection of the Mahon River to the Ballyshunnock Reservoir in County Waterford;...
- Housing Grants
Question 246: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authorities that have sought funding in regard to the provision of independent living...
- Social and Affordable Housing
Question 247: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that developers are not providing affordable housing as part of their schemes and...
- Local Authority Housing
Question 249: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the powers and responsibilities of local authorities to ensure that local authority tenants maintain their...
- Election Management System
Question 250: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the procedures which were followed to invite tenders for the contract to store the electronic voting machines...
