Written answers
Thursday, 1 March 2007
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Payment Delivery Service
Question 10: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the decision of his Department to extend the delivery services contract with An Post. [7918/07]
- Social Welfare Code
Question 11: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of Irish nationals who have been refused social welfare payments under the two year habitual residence requirement...
- Pension Provisions
Question 12: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if will make amendments to current legislation and deliver new guidelines in order to protect existing defined benefit pension...
- Adult Education
Question 13: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the education and training programmes currently available through his Department to carers who wish to return to the workforce; and...
- Budgeting Advice Services
Question 14: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the Money Advice and Budgeting Service has a role to play in investigating high levels of interest being charged by financial...
- Advocacy Services
Question 15: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if work has begun on establishing a personal advocacy service for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Pension Provisions
Question 16: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is satisfied with the take-up rate of the weekly earnings disregard among non-contributory pensioners in view of the Budget...
- Social Protection Expenditure
Question 17: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the comparison between public social expenditure here and that in each of the other EU countries and the EU average respectively;...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 19: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the status of his plans to merge the family income supplement and child dependent allowance into a second tier child income support...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 20: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the request by the Combat Poverty Agency to establish a National Implementation Group to monitor the delivery of the...
- Services for People with Disabilities
Question 22: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on the progress of the arrangements that were put in place in 2004 further to the review of illness and...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 25: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if reform is taking place of the Health Services Executive urgent needs loan scheme operated through his Department to allow for...
- Citizens Information
Question 26: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in the view of the Citizens Information Act 2007 Comhairle, the Citizens Information Board will continue to provide resources...
- Pension Provisions
Question 27: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department has conducted surveys and consulted members of the public on their views on different types of pension schemes;...
- Family Support Services
Question 28: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will make provision for the establishment of a number of pilot child and family centres to provide information and support to...
- Pension Provisions
Question 29: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of working and non-working women respectively who have personal or occupational pensions; and if he will make a...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 33: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the efforts his Department is making to address concern raised by the European Commission report (details supplied) that there is...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 34: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will revise the eligibility criteria for the back to education allowance to include low paid workers as called for by AONTAS....
- Family Support Services
Question 36: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount of money made available by his Department and the agencies under his Department to offer parenting courses in view of...
- Personal Public Service Numbers
Question 37: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the investigations that have been held into allegations in regard to his statement of 29 January 2007, regarding the exploitation...
- Social Insurance
Question 38: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of employers currently availing of the employers PRSI exemption scheme; the number of employees currently covered under...
- National Carers Strategy
Question 39: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made to date with regard to implementation of the 2003 Report of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs on...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 41: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the benefits PRSI class D contributors are entitled to when they reach retirement age; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 43: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made in discussions with the EU Commission regarding the possibility of providing free travel passes to Irish...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 45: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of appeals awaiting decision in the Social Welfare Appeals Office; the average time it takes for an appeal to be...
- Pension Provisions
Question 47: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether the State pension system is equitable and that it ensures pensioners can live with dignity and not in poverty....
- Pension Provisions
Question 48: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he has taken or plans to take arising from criticism by the Pensions Ombudsman of what he called the theft by employers...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 49: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of a free travel pass but who are not eligible for the all-Ireland free travel scheme; the reason...
- Social Welfare Fraud
Question 50: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress of Operation Gull aimed at curbing cross-border social welfare fraud; and if the operation has been concluded, or if...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 51: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 14 November 2006, if he will address the matter whereby some women in occupational...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 57: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there will be changes to the criteria to qualify for the back to education allowance in view of the fact that the qualifying age...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 58: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the recommendation of the Law Reform Commission that same sex cohabitants should be treated in the same way as...
- Pension Provisions
Question 59: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which he and his Department have examined the various options for awarding non-contributory pensions to Irish...
- Social Welfare Payments
Question 61: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the estimated increase in the cost of welfare claims in 2008 arising from the entitlement of EU migrant workers to the new child...
- Departmental Advertising
Question 69: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on a national advertising campaign to promote greater awareness of social welfare entitlements, similar to the campaign...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 73: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a homeless person is entitled to a social welfare payment; the procedure to obtain such a payment; and if he will make a...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 75: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who availed of PRSI refunds on maintenance payments in 2006; the amount of money refunded; and if he will make...
- Pension Provisions
Question 80: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the comparison between pensioner incomes here and pensioner incomes in each of the other EU countries and the EU average...
- Public Service Cards
Question 81: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress and development his Department has conducted into the new public service card which is provided for in the Social...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 83: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will address the anomaly whereby Family Income Supplement is only paid to those in work and not in training. [8006/07]
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 85: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way he will ensure that the forthcoming National Action Plan for Social Inclusion is effectively implemented at local level;...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 86: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 53 and 93 of 14 December 2006, regarding a research project into the low take up rates of...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy
Question 87: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the reaction by Age Action to the new National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007 to 2016 and their disappointment...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 88: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made to date with regard to consideration by his Department of a new mortgage support plan; when the consultation...
- Pension Provisions
Question 91: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he is referring to the contributory or non-contributory rate in his commitment in Budget 2007 to raise the qualified adult...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Citizenship Applications
Question 94: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the situation pertaining to children, not born in the State, whose parents have been granted permission to...
- Asylum Applications
Question 95: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application to remain in the State by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [8132/07]
- Garda Strength
Question 96: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he plans to increase the Garda numbers in Bagenalstown, Tullow and Ballon Garda Stations to take account of...
- Residency Permits
Question 97: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when is it proposed to renew the certificate of registration of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Garda Stations
Question 99: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will make provision for a new Garda station as a key element of social infrastructure in an area...
- Residency Permits
Question 100: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 319 of 31 January 2007, when an application for a residency visa will...
- Asylum Applications
Question 101: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the meaning of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 15 February 2007 wherein it is stated the...
- Residency Permits
Question 103: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the current residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 104: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in regard to a naturalisation application in the case of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Residency Permits
Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in regard to review of residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Legal Aid Service
Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he or his Department has specific responsibility for the provision of funding for schemes operated...
- Asylum Applications
Question 108: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the Immigration Authorities have contacted the authorities in Zimbabwe when determining the appeal for...
- Department of Finance
- Pension Provisions
Question 111: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an anomaly now exists with regards to the pensions of women civil servants who were obliged to...
- Tax Yield
Question 112: To ask the Minister for Finance the proportion of PAYE taxpayers and taxpayers other than PAYE taxpayers who are earning amounts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement...
- Tax Code
Question 113: To ask the Minister for Finance the situation regarding home care provisions; if persons who use their home care funding to buy services from private contractors can expect to pay...
- Fiscal Policy
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of adjusting the tax bands in order that a couple, both earning, could earn up to €100,000, while paying only tax at the...
- National Gallery Staff
Question 118: To ask the Minister for Finance when a Ministerial Order was made changing the status of staff in the National Gallery of Ireland from non-established civil servants to...
- Department of Health and Children
- Child Care Services
Question 119: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the early childcare supplement to €2,000. [8168/07]
- Eating Disorders
Question 122: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the provision made available to provide services to tackle eating disorders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8076/07]
- Medical Cards
Question 124: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a medical card will be issued to persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will expedite a response. [8079/07]
- Community Care
Question 125: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to her Department's response to Parliamentary Question No. 363 of 13 February 2007, the circumstances in which a person (details...
- Nursing Home Charges
Question 127: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding an application for the nursing home refund for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if the application...
- Civil Registration
Question 130: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when is it intended that Part 6 and in particular section 52 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, will be commenced by statutory...
- Medicinal Products
Question 131: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the outcome of the meeting between her Department, the Health Service Executive and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union; and if she will make...
- Eating Disorders
Question 132: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons classified as obese here under the age of 12, between 12 and 21 and over 21; and if she will make a statement on...
- Medical Cards
Question 134: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that people who have medical cards have to renew them on a yearly basis; her plans to award...
- Health Services
Question 135: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the community occupational therapy service have not been in contact with a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if...
- Nursing Home Subventions
Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to previous parliamentary questions if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she...
- Health Services
Question 138: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when speech therapy will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if, it will not be provided, if she will award...
- Hospital Services
Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied), who has had a scheduled hip replacement cancelled twice previously, will have this operation carried...
- Health Services
Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will carry out an investigation into the deaths at Leas Cross Nursing Home and Bedford House Nursing Home as a matter of urgency;...
- Hospital Services
Question 142: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be given an appointment to see their consultant; and if she will make a...
- Hospital Charges
Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if in relation to charges levied on people in receipt of in-patient services on premises where nursing care is provided on a 24 hour...
- Services for People with Disabilities
Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of court actions regarding the provision of resources such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy,...
- Medical Cards
Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason a medical card was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if same will be reissued as a matter...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Telecommunications Services
Question 146: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the areas in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny that have no broadband facilities at present; his plans to rectify...
- Inland Fisheries
Question 147: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if licences will be issued to snap net salmon fishermen on the Suir, Nore and Barrow in 2007; and if he will...
- Telecommunications Services
Question 150: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extra television channels that will become available on the DTT pilot scheme in March 2007; and if he will...
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- International Agreements
Question 151: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the slow pace of EPA negotiations and the unlikelihood of a new arrangement being in place when current arrangements run out...
- Human Rights Issues
Question 153: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken to ensure that the political and national rights of the Kurdish people are vindicated and defended in the various...
- Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism
- Sports Capital Programme
Question 154: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has received the application from a group (details supplied) in County Leitrim; if he will ensure that funding is allocated;...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Health and Safety Regulations
Question 156: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will assure this Deputy that the Health and Safety Authorities investigation into an incident which took place...
- Research Funding
Question 160: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of funding that will be available for research into new investment schemes. [8129/07]
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 161: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the rates allowed for rental properties for persons in receipt of rent supplement are to be reviewed; when the revised rates...
- Pension Provisions
Question 162: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if pension losses through major fraud scams have occurred; and if the pension and investment industry here is a safe haven for...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 167: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in view of the Government's stated intention to eliminate poverty here and the very real exposure to poverty faced by many...
- Voluntary Sector Funding
Question 170: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the funding available to groups or organisations that provide counselling services; the mechanism in place to monitor the quality...
- Social Insurance
Question 171: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the type of stamp that was paid by FÁS for people who were on community employment schemes; and if he has plans to recognise the...
- Pension Provisions
Question 172: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals to allow those persons whose income before their 56th birthday was below the threshold for liability to pay class S...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 173: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount of supplementary welfare allowance payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make...
- Live Register
Question 174: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which unemployment levels have fluctuated in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Pension Provisions
Question 175: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if State pensions will be offered on a [i]pro rata[/i] basis to all contributors regardless of their average number of annual...
- Grant Payments
Question 177: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will ease the qualification guidelines for the back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Rural Transport Services
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he or his Department will offer assistance to the development of rural transport in areas where public transport does not...
- Pension Provisions
Question 181: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he or his Department have examined the degree to which widows or widowers pensions could be improved in line with increased...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 185: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 1191 of 31 January 2007, the schemes whose recipients will be allowed to qualify for the new...
- Departmental Investigations
Question 186: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if will provide details of each of the reports and reviews commissioned or conducted by his Department each year since 2003 to...
- Department of Transport
- Public Transport
Question 187: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made on park and ride facilities in relation to Croke Park particularly on match days; and if he has interim proposals in relation to...
- Parking Regulations
Question 188: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will provide copies or provide the website link to any guidelines issued to local authorities on the drafting and operation of by-laws in...
- Rail Network
Question 189: To ask the Minister for Transport if Iarnród Éireann will electrify the railway on the Northern Line as far as Drogheda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8180/07]
- Light Rail Project
Question 190: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made to date on completing the feasibility study on extending the Luas Line from Liffey Junction, via Finglas to Sillogue; the budget...
- Parking Regulations
Question 191: To ask the Minister for Transport if parking regulations as currently provided apply to parking on footpaths which are not in the charge of road or local authorities; and if he...
- Road Safety
Question 192: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will use the opportunity of the impending Roads Bill to close the loop-hole whereby no urban speed limits apply to housing estates not yet...
- Road Signage
Question 193: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made in completing the review of traffic signs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8192/07]
- Parking Regulations
Question 194: To ask the Minister for Transport the Statutory Instrument references for all amendments to S.I. No. 182 of 1997. [8193/07]
- Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
- Community Development
Question 197: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will ensure that funding is allocated to a group (details supplied) in County Leitrim for their application...
- Caiteachas Ranna
Question 198: To ask the Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cé mhéad caiteachais a ceadaíodh faoi Scéim na mBóithre Áise sna ceantair Ghaeltachta i gCo. Chorcaí ó 2002 go...
- Ferry Services
Question 199: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason, in the latest arrangement for the operation of the Cape Clear ferry, his Department failed to ensure that...
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- Grant Payments
Question 200: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when persons (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the disadvantaged area scheme for 2006. [8057/07]
- Milk Quota
Question 204: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of gallons of milk quota transferred in each of the past five years under the old system; the number of gallons transferred...
- Department of Education and Science
- Departmental Funding
Question 205: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will give a commitment that capital funding will be given to a school (details supplied) in County Sligo in order that they can...
- Medical Education
Question 206: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the graduate entry medical training scheme will commence at the start of the next academic year; if a decision has been made on the...
- Departmental Correspondence
Question 207: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will respond to the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) to her Department; and if she will make a statement on...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 208: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if home tuition will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the provision of a new primary school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the timeframe for the provision of...
- Catchment Boundaries
Question 210: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when catchment areas within County Wexford will be sorted out, particularly those in the Blackwater area; and if she will make a...
- Physical Education Facilities
Question 211: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funding and other assistance being provided for the approved new physical education hall at a school (details supplied) in Dublin...
- Departmental Funding
Question 212: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if funding will be made available to a group (details supplied) for the employment of full-time development officers under the...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 213: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of court actions regarding the provision of school places for students with special needs and the provision of resources...
- Third Level Fees
Question 214: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason children whose parents have residency status must pay for third level education even though both parents work here; and if...
- School Staffing
Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of additional English language support teachers allocated to schools in the Dublin 15 area; the number of teachers...
- Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Election Management System
Question 216: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will require all polling stations to provide access for people with disabilities; if he will require...
- Road Network
Question 217: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, when he provides funding to local authorities for the construction, repair and so on of rural roadworks,...
- National Monuments
Question 222: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will work with the authorities in Northern Ireland to extend the battlefields research project on an...
- Local Authority Housing
Question 223: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will approve a refurbishment scheme for a terrace (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will...
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 224: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress towards the provision of sewerage facilities for Ballybay Town Council; when funding will be...
- Register of Electors
Question 225: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason correspondence to a local authority was not responded to with the result that a person (details...
- Election Management System
Question 226: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the storage arrangements of all ancillary equipment for electronic voting such as tables; and if he will make...
- Wildlife Conservation
Question 227: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to ensure that the traditional annual horse racing can take place in 2007 at...
- Planning Issues
Question 228: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been brought to the difficulty in the planning regulations which allow an exemption from...
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 229: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he or his Department has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 in relation...
