Written answers
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
- Department of Defence
- Defence Forces Operations
Question 54: To ask the Minister for Defence the further exercises of the Nordic battlegroup to which Ireland contributes personnel that are planned; when they will be held and the planned...
- Overseas Missions
Question 56: To ask the Minister for Defence the percentage of the normal annual leave allowance for each category lost by senior officers, junior officers and enlisted personnel respectively...
- Defence Forces Retirement Scheme
Question 58: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made in discussions on the claim made by RACO to extend the retirement age for certain officers; and if he will make a...
- Bullying in the Workplace
Question 59: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has met PDFORRA representatives on their concerns regarding the victimisation of elected representatives which was raised at their recent...
- Defence Forces Recruitment
Question 60: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the statement by the secretary of PDFORRA at its recent annual conference, that in order to maintain full strength Defence Forces of...
- Defence Forces Equipment
Question 61: To ask the Minister for Defence the arrangements that have been made to finance the purchase of the new ships to be provided for the Naval Service over the next five years; and if...
- Defence Forces Appointments
Question 64: To ask the Minister for Defence the criteria and methodology used by the Government in selecting officers to fill the appointments of chief of staff, deputy chief of staff...
- Defence Forces Equipment
Question 65: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for the replacement of the Air Corps' Cessna fleet, which is 34 years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34435/07]
- Military Medals
Question 66: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of applications received to date for official replacement certificates for 1916 and War of Independence medals lost, stolen or destroyed;...
- Irish Language
Question 67: To ask the Minister for Defence the proposals he has to continue to develop the use of the Irish language in the Defence Forces in line with Objective 12 of the Government...
- Defence Forces Promotions
Question 68: To ask the Minister for Defence if the revised arrangements for enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces will be agreed by the target date of December 2007; and if he will make a...
- Official Engagements
Question 69: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on his address to the RACO biennial delegate conference in Kilkenny on 27 November, 2007. [34156/07]
- Bullying in the Workplace
Question 70: To ask the Minister for Defence if he plans to conduct further reviews of the implementation in the Defence Forces of the 2002 The Challenge of a Workplace report chaired by Dr....
- Defence Forces Personnel
Question 72: To ask the Minister for Defence the ratio of officer to non-officers in the Defence Forces over the past ten years and in comparison to other countries; and if he will make a...
- Child Care Services
Question 75: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has received the report from the sub-committee on the feasibility of providing child care facilities for members of the Defence Forces; and if...
- Defence Forces Strength
Question 77: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has provided the necessary financial resources in budget 2008 to provide for an additional provision of up to 350 troops to be in training at...
- National Memorials
Question 78: To ask the Minister for Defence when the national memorial to commemorate deceased members of the Defence Forces who have died in service will be unveiled; the concept behind the...
- Substance Misuse
Question 79: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel tested under the drug testing programme in 2006 and to date in 2007; the number and rank of those tested...
- Commemorative Events
Question 82: To ask the Minister for Defence if his Department and the Defence Forces intend to commemorate and celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Ireland's first participation in 1958 on a...
- Defence Forces Equipment
Question 83: To ask the Minister for Defence the procedures for the disposal of the Air Corps Alouette helicopters recently withdrawn from regular use; if it is proposed to retain or preserve...
- Overseas Missions
Question 84: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will ask Irish Aid to strengthen its relationship with the Defence Forces on its UN peace building missions, increasing the money available to...
- Defence Forces Reserve
Question 87: To ask the Minister for Defence, further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 4 October 2007, if he has held discussions with the appropriate authorities regarding the possibility of...
- Defence Forces Strength
Question 89: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of existing members of the Defence Forces who have been commissioned as officers both through the cadet school and through commission from...
- Commemorative Events
Question 91: To ask the Minister for Defence when he will be writing to party leaders asking them to nominate representatives to the All Party Oireachtas consultation group on the commemoration...
- Departmental Offices
Question 95: To ask the Minister for Defence the days on which he attended his Department's head offices on Infirmary Road, Dublin 7 since his re-appointment in June 2007; and if he will make a...
- Defence Forces Recruitment
Question 96: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of personnel recruited into the Permanent Defence Forces in 2006 and to date in 2007; the number of applications received in each of those...
- Court Proceedings
Question 97: To ask the Minister for Defence the estimated cost to the Defence Forces of payments and legal costs arising from a decision of the Circuit Court to dismiss a case taken by his...
- Defence Forces Reserve
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Defence the organisational structure of the Reserve Defence Forces; the establishment and vacancies in each unit by rank respectively; and if he will make a...
- Defence Forces Strength
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Defence the recommendations that have been made by the Naval Service/PDFORRA working group in regard to solutions to shortages of skilled personnel in...
- Planning Issues
Question 101: To ask the Minister for Defence the measures that are in place in the County Dublin development plan at the request of his Department or the Air Corps in regard to housing...
- Department of An Taoiseach
- National Statistics
Question 103: To ask the Taoiseach the number of vacant houses here on a county basis in terms of the recent data from the 2006 census; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34458/07]
- Department of Finance
- Tax Collection
Question 104: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will make contact with the Chief State Solicitor's Office to process an application to waiver the State's claim under section 73...
- Garda Stations
Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position regarding the provision of a new Garda station at Castleisland, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Tax Code
Question 106: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if the planned amendment to the tax code, as announced in budget 2008, to assist in maximising the take up of the decommissioning...
- Flood Relief
Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the funding provided and projects undertaken by the Office of Public Works to provide flood relief based on a statement (details...
- Tax Code
Question 108: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on backdating the latest stamp duty concessions to the June start date for the concession for first time buyers in view of...
- Decentralisation Programme
Question 109: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position in relation to decentralising the Wicklow district of the Revenue Commissioners to Wicklow in view of the fact that...
- Department of Health and Children
- Water Fluoridation
Question 110: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has assessed the scientific evidence on the merit of fluoridation of water supplies for general distribution; if she is satisfied...
- Child Care Services
Question 111: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the process by which applications for child care community playgroups receive funding; the stages necessary to complete prior to final...
- Foster Care
Question 114: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if and when foster allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Cancer Screening Programme
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of inquiries, reviews and investigations currently under way in relation to the cancer services at Portlaoise Regional...
- Health Service Staff
Question 116: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of home helps affected by the non-payment of travel expenses in the Kildare and west Wicklow area; the period of time that...
- Vaccination Programme
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if mercury is still a constituent of the DPT vaccine given to babies at the age of two months, four months, and six months; if she will...
- Health Services
Question 118: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if assistance will be given in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [34466/07]
- Child Care Services
Question 119: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are concerns that the new child care subvention scheme will result in parents of...
- Voluntary Sector Funding
Question 121: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will intervene on behalf of the Donegal branch of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland in securing appropriate funding from the...
- Health Service Staff
Question 122: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of home help support workers employed by the Health Service Executive in each of the HSE areas. [34494/07]
- Medical Cards
Question 125: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position of an application for a medical card for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement...
- Care of the Elderly
Question 126: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the removal of the care and case management scheme operating out of Raheen Community Hospital in...
- Mental Health Services
Question 129: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her Department's involvement to date with a facility (details supplied) in County Armagh; the financial contribution of the Government...
- Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme
Question 130: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will respond to a query from a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34511/07]
- Medical Cards
Question 131: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Health Service Allowances
Question 132: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the rates for domiciliary care allowance that will apply in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34615/07]
- Foster Care
Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the rates for foster payments that will apply in 2008. [34616/07]
- Health Services
Question 134: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when she will receive the report of the expert advisory group on diabetes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34617/07]
- Voluntary Sector Funding
Question 135: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on providing core funding to the Irish Osteoporosis Society to ensure the society can carry out its support work in this area;...
- Department of Transport
- Rail Network
Question 136: To ask the Minister for Transport when is it envisaged Iarnród Éireann will undertake work on the automation of level crossing XS 87 at Cortober/Cordrehid, east of...
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- Passport Applications
Question 137: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the date an Irish passport was issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34484/07]
- International Agreements
Question 138: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the legal advice from the Attorney General with respect to the requirement to hold a referendum on the reform treaty, in view of the fact...
- Overseas Development Aid
Question 139: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of overseas development aid given to other countries in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007; the countries that were involved; the...
- Official Engagements
Question 142: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the Euro-Africa Lisbon summit held on 8 and 9 December 2007; the fringe meetings that took place; the items that were...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Ministerial Appointments
Question 143: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in the interests of openness and transparency, he will appoint an operations inspector to the board of the Health and...
- Job Losses
Question 144: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will seek activation of the European globalisation adjustment fund which was adopted on 20 December 2006 in order to...
- Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism
- Sports Capital Programme
Question 145: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to develop multi-sports facilities; if he will give preferential treatment to groups who will apply for such a facility;...
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Social Welfare Code
Question 146: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will raise the fuel allowance in view of the rising cost of all fuels and taking into consideration the need for the elderly...
- Departmental Computer Systems
Question 147: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the value of payments from his Department's offices in Dublin, Letterkenny, Longford and Sligo which use the overpayment and debt...
- Asylum Support Services
Question 148: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the weekly payment of €19.10 made to certain asylum seekers in direct provision accommodation was last increased; the level...
- Pension Provisions
Question 149: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 20 is entitled to a State transition pension; if this pension is payable even though they...
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- European Directives
Question 150: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she will implement the European Court of Justice decision which impacts on stocking rates on commonages in County...
- Grant Payments
Question 151: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly, under the farm improvement scheme; and if she will...
- Department of Education and Science
- School Accommodation
Question 155: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to advance the provision of additional accommodation for a school (details supplied); the budget set aside for this project;...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 156: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will expedite an application by a school (details supplied) in County Donegal for an extension; and if she will make a...
- School Accommodation
Question 159: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the names of the primary schools for Kerry that benefitted under the summer works scheme in 2007; and if she will make a statement on...
- School Staffing
Question 160: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will confirm the date when a school (details supplied) will reopen; and if she will take all reasonable steps to ensure that...
- School Accommodation
Question 161: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the failure of part of the 1952 heating system of a school (details supplied); if she has emergency...
- Youth Services
Question 162: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on whether it is essential that the transition supports project funded by the European Social Fund and her Department...
- Site Acquisitions
Question 163: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on purchasing a site for a new primary school in Greystones, County Wicklow, known as the Scaipt site and in the ownership...
- Department of Defence
- Defence Forces Property
Question 164: To ask the Minister for Defence the position of the transfer of a residential estate (details supplied) in County Kildare to a local authority; the position of repairs to the...
- Defence Forces Operations
Question 165: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of members of the armed forces including the Navy and Air Corps injured in friendly fire incidents at home and abroad each year since...
- Defence Forces Strength
Question 166: To ask the Minister for Defence if it is intended to augment the strength of the Defence Forces with particular reference to anticipated overseas deployments on EU and UN...
- Defence Forces Equipment
Question 167: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has a precise plan to ensure within reason self-sufficiency in terms of the military hardware available to contingents of Irish troops who...
- Defence Forces Deployment
Question 171: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has had discussions with his EU or UN counterparts in regard to coastal defence or surveillance; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Overseas Missions
Question 172: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of strength of proposed deployments of Irish troops overseas with particular reference to the need to...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Court Procedures
Question 176: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on supplying peace commissioners with a stamp to be used in their role, in order to make it more official and...
- Residency Permits
Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will grant compassionate leave to remain to persons (details supplied) in Dublin 2; and if he will make a statement...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when, the way and the basis on which persons (details supplied) obtained Irish citizenship; and if he will make a...
- Residency Permits
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review the application for subsidiary protection in the State for a person (details supplied) in County...
- Garda Expenditure
Question 181: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the value of mobile phone bills for Garda inspectors, superintendents and chief superintendents in 2006 and 2007; and if he...
- Court Procedures
Question 183: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to empower High Court judges sitting on the Admiralty Marshals Court to waive the State's deduction of 12% levied...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 184: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to applications for naturalisation for persons (details supplied); if they will be dealt with as...
- Court Procedures
Question 185: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his reason for proposing the extension of the ambit of the Special Criminal Court for dealing with gangland crime; and if...
- Liquor Licensing Laws
Question 186: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will amend the liquor laws to restrict or end the practice whereby alcohol is sold by convenience stores and at...
- Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Grant Payments
Question 187: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of disabled person's grants in each local authority received in 2002 to 2006; the number that have...
- Local Authority Charges
Question 188: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will extend to non-profit making sports clubs the non-metered water allowance promised to schools in...
- Proposed Legislation
Question 189: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he would consider that the breeding of hounds and fox harriers be exempt from the new puppy farm licence...
- Departmental Expenditure
Question 190: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will account for the reduction in projected expenditure for 2008 by 29%; the projects that will be...
- Local Authority Funding
Question 191: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the breakdown in relation to funding projects under the gateways innovation fund; the amount Letterkenny will...
- Departmental Bodies
Question 192: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the breakdown of funding towards An Bord Pleanála in view of the fact that it is projected that it will...
- Tribunals of Inquiry
Question 193: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the breakdown of spending on the Mahon tribunal; if he will account for the significant reduction in the 2008...
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 194: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has received the submission of Limerick County Council's preliminary report on the proposed...
- Local Authority Functions
Question 195: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of estates taken in charge by a local authority (details supplied ) within the past five years;...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Telecommunications Services
Question 197: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when broadband will be extended to an area (details supplied) in County Mayo. [34512/07]
- Electricity Transmission Network
Question 198: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on an application for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a...
