Written answers
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
- Department of Transport
- Road Traffic Offences
Question 93: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on alcohol drink driver offender legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39906/08]
- Transport Infrastructure
Question 94: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the report from the World Economic Forum that the quality of the air transport infrastructure here dropped to 46th place...
- Road Traffic Offences
Question 95: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will introduce legislative, or other measures, to ensure that both Irish and foreign registered vehicles are subject to all of the same...
- Road Safety
Question 96: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will introduce testing for prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines for drivers involved in accidents as recommended (details supplied);...
- Rail Network
Question 97: To ask the Minister for Transport the estimated completion dates for the full Navan rail line and western rail corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39838/08]
- Road Safety
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Transport his strategy to tackle drug driving; the reforms he is planning to strengthen the testing regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Driver Licences
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will limit inexperienced drivers to smaller engine cars as recommended by the Road Safety Authority; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Rural Transport Services
Question 101: To ask the Minister for Transport the funding allocated to the rural transport initiative in each of the past three years; his plans to expand the scheme; and if he will make a...
- Traffic Management
Question 103: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress to date in extending traffic calming measures here as promised in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on...
- Road Safety
Question 104: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has reviewed recent figures from the European Transport Safety Council noting that road mortality rates decreased by more than 8% faster in...
- Cycle Facilities
Question 105: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will publish his new national cycling strategy; the measures the new strategy will contain; the way he will reach his stated target of 20%...
- Taxi Regulations
Question 106: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the proposed taxi sharing scheme. [40033/08]
- Public Transport Accidents
Question 108: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on adding investigating accidents resulting in death on public transport to the remit of the Safety Commission that will incorporate...
- Road Network
Question 109: To ask the Minister for Transport the list of key road schemes which will be deferred due to budget 2009 cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39945/08]
- Sustainable Transport
Question 110: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the decrease in motor sales over the past number of months, he has reviewed or altered his estimates for transport emissions in the...
- Road Network
Question 112: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress to date in the preparation for the delivery of the Leinster outer orbital route as promised in the programme for Government; and if...
- Departmental Transport
Question 113: To ask the Minister for Transport the public transport services used by his officials since 2007 to date in 2008 on official business; the cost of same; and if he will make a...
- State Airports
Question 114: To ask the Minister for Transport if he is planning proceed with the proposed separation of Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports; if he has finalised and agreed to the business plans...
- Port Development
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will publish his report on the future of Dublin Port; what he intends to recommend for the future location and size of Dublin Port; if any...
- Public Transport
Question 116: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will expedite new bus licensing legislation to allow for greater competition in order to bring down the State subsidy for CIE; and if he...
- Road Safety
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason he has reduced the road safety budget by €4 million; the road safety programmes that will see a decrease in funding for 2009; and if...
- Public Transport
Question 118: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which he has revised or reviewed his capital spending programme with particular reference to Transport 21; if he has issued...
- Traffic Management
Question 121: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding contingency plans for the major infrastructural works due to commence in Dublin for metro north, the Luas link-up and the...
- Rural Transport Services
Question 122: To ask the Minister for Transport if the rural transport programme has been expanded to wider social groups as recommended in the 2006 discussion paper Progressing Rural Public...
- Road Safety
Question 125: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will make changes to driving disqualifications on foot of fewer penalty points as recommended by the Road Safety Authority; and if he will...
- Light Rail Project
Question 130: To ask the Minister for Transport when the construction of metro west which will connect Tallaght and Ballymun through Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown will commence as...
- Penalty Points System
Question 131: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to reform the penalty points system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39600/08]
- Light Rail Project
Question 134: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will provide a full briefing on the operation of the PPP for metro north; the amount of public and private money that will be spent on metro...
- Air Services
Question 135: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will bring forward legislation to curb potentially misleading advertising in the selling of airline tickets and to enforce the EU decision...
- Public Transport
Question 136: To ask the Minister for Transport the way the 7% cut in the public transport investment programme will affect the roll out of public transport infrastructure; and if he will make a...
- Light Rail Project
Question 142: To ask the Minister for Transport when the commitment to join the green and red Luas lines as outlined in the Programme for Government will commence; and if he will make a...
- Road Safety
Question 143: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount he has allocated for the Medical Bureau of Road Safety for 2009; if he has ringfenced funding specifically to target measures at...
- Rail and Road Network
Question 147: To ask the Minister for Transport further to his press release of 15 October 2008 regarding Transport 21 investment in Cork, the month in 2009 when he expects the Cork to Midleton...
- Departmental Expenditure
Question 149: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has commenced a multi-criteria analysis of all transport projects to take into account environmental factors on a whole project basis as...
- Ferry Services
Question 150: To ask the Minister for Transport the supports under EU regulations available from national and EU sources towards the re-establishment of the Cork-Swansea ferry; and if he will...
- Ministerial Travel
Question 153: To ask the Minister for Transport the public transport services used by him since 2007 to date in 2008 on official business; the destinations travelled to; the cost of same; and if...
- Rail Network
Question 154: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will provide a full report on the Dublin rail interconnector; the stage planning for the rail interconnector is at; and if he will make a...
- Industrial Relations
Question 155: To ask the Minister for Transport the contacts he has had with Aer Lingus management and unions in view of the recent industrial relations issues at the airline; if he has been...
- Air Services
Question 156: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will initiate a full review of our aviation sector and Ireland's strategic air connectivity; if he will bring forward a Green Paper on the...
- Road Safety
Question 157: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has decided to alter the blood alcohol limit for drivers; if he is satisfied with the measures in place to address drink driving on Irish...
- Economic Competitiveness
Question 158: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on recent trends of decreasing volumes of trade through Irish ports; if he is bringing forward measures to stabilise and...
- Rail Network
Question 159: To ask the Minister for Transport if the previously announced intended expenditure in respect of the development of the rail services is expected to proceed on target; if...
- Road Network
Question 161: To ask the Minister for Transport the final projected estimated costs for the construction of the Dublin Port Tunnel; if further payments will be made to the NMI consortium who...
- Road Safety
Question 162: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress to date in effecting the National Road Safety Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39890/08]
- End-of-Life Vehicles
Question 164: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will publish the report into the presence of Irish and foreign registered car write-offs on Irish roads; if the Revenue Commissioners have...
- Road Network
Question 166: To ask the Minister for Transport if he is considering proposals from the National Roads Authority to bring forward a new tranche of PPPs for road construction and road maintenance...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Skills Shortages
Question 169: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the interdepartmental committee charged with approving an implementation plan for the National Skills...
- Departmental Agencies
Question 171: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will extend the price display order requirements to include a requirement on fuel stations to notify...
- Department of Finance
- Tax Code
Question 172: To ask the Minister for Finance if the provision of a taxi or other transport service to and from work by an employer to an employee on health grounds will be exempted from...
- Decentralisation Programme
Question 173: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the position in respect to decentralisation to Claremorris, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40074/08]
- Departmental Offices
Question 174: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will complete the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 256 of 2 October 2008, by indicating the cost per unit area rent or lease for the...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 175: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the increase in charges of 50% imposed by the banking sector on business since the announcement of the Credit Institute (Financial...
- Tax Code
Question 176: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will allow businesses to claim a deduction of VAT in respect of payments made on the leasing of private passenger cars which are used...
- Tax Collection
Question 178: To ask the Minister for Finance, further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 5 November 2008, the amount of tax each of the categories, with an identical breakdown, contribute in...
- Departmental Correspondence
Question 180: To ask the Minister for Finance when a substantive response will be issued to a letter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40146/08]
- Tax Collection
Question 181: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the recently published report of the Committee of Public Accounts on Taxation of Rental Income Receipts and the...
- Department of Health and Children
- Health Services
Question 182: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of refuge places for victims of domestic violence here annually for the past five years; the location of these places; and...
- Clinical Indemnity Scheme
Question 184: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive provides insurance cover for independent midwives practising here in view of the fact that an...
- General Medical Services Scheme
Question 185: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive has engaged with a group (details supplied) and community pharmacists on the reform of the GMS scheme...
- Health Service Staff
Question 186: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the assistance available to foreign nurses looking to undertake the adaptation programme in securing a place to undertake this process;...
- Health Repayment Scheme
Question 187: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding payment due to a person (details supplied) under the national repayment scheme. [40120/08]
- Tobacco Products
Question 188: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her position on the introduction of a price floor for cigarettes and other tobacco related products; and if she will make a statement on...
- Cancer Incidence
Question 189: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Donegal annually between 1997 and 2007; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Hospital Services
Question 190: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a satellite radiotherapy centre will be established in the north west before 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Health Services
Question 192: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if equipment (details supplied) is available to a certain section of the Health Service Executive. [40214/08]
- Health Service Staff
Question 193: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on recent media reports suggesting that the Health Service Executive wants to introduce new restrictions on recruitment and to...
- Child Care Services
Question 194: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will agree to the request from a partnership (details supplied) to meet with them regarding the findings of their study of the...
- Health Service Staff
Question 195: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, in respect of the Health Service Executive's recent advertisement for a director of medical education and training, she will detail...
- Medical Cards
Question 196: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will reverse the decision to abolish the automatic entitlement to the over 70s medical card. [40237/08]
- Departmental Correspondence
Question 197: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a response will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40245/08]
- Hospitals Building Programme
Question 198: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if it is intended that tenders will be invited for the phase 3C extension to Naas General Hospital, Naas, County Kildare in 2008; if a...
- Department of Transport
- Rail Network
Question 201: To ask the Minister for Transport, further to Parliamentary Question No. 234 of 5 November 2008, the amount of the expenditure allocated in his 2009 departmental budget, either as...
- Public Transport
Question 203: To ask the Minister for Transport if it is intended to enhance bus services to include new urban developments not currently in receipt of services; and if he will make a statement...
- Departmental Bodies
Question 209: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which he has devolved policy matters to bodies under the aegis of his Department such as the National Roads Authority or other...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
- Human Rights Issues
Question 210: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the implications for the Irish Human Rights Commission following the Budget 2009...
- Employment Rights
Question 211: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether fathers here are discriminated against by the non-availability of paid paternity leave. [39490/08]
- Legislative Programme
Question 212: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress on his proposal to introduce a right for the State, to recover from the perpetrators of crime, the amount paid...
- Legal Aid Service
Question 213: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding his proposal to ensure that an accused who can afford to defend themselves does not obtain legal aid...
- Crime Prevention
Question 214: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects to establish a domestic violence prevention office for victims of domestic abuse; when he plans to set up...
- Sex Offenders
Question 215: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date on expanding the mechanism by which sexual offenders are monitored after their release from...
- Sexual Offences
Question 218: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to legislate for a new offence of supplying and administering date rape drugs. [40085/08]
- Sentencing Policy
Question 219: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made on his proposal to bring in tougher penalties for trafficking, ensuring greater prosecution of...
- Legislative Programme
Question 220: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to provide legislation for the forfeiture of all material gains from the production, sale and distribution of...
- Human Rights Issues
Question 223: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will ratify the UN Convention for the suppression of the trafficking in persons of the exploitation and of the...
- Change of Name Licence
Question 224: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 202 of 5 June 2008, if a decision has been made on the mentioned application; and if...
- Closed Circuit Television Systems
Question 225: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to a person who is having problems with hooligans trespassing in their garden and are anxious to...
- Garda Reserve
Question 226: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people who applied to join the Garda Reserve annually since its establishment; the number who graduated but...
- Departmental Advertising
Question 229: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount spent on advertising campaigns to recruit for the Garda Reserve annually since its establishment; and the...
- Citizenship Applications
Question 230: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will receive a decision on their naturalisation application; and if he...
- Garda Stations
Question 231: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the completion of refurbishment works on a garda station (details supplied) in County Sligo; the...
- Garda Deployment
Question 232: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the cost to the State in providing security and protection during the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008 for the proposed...
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- International Agreements
Question 233: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if documents have been received in relation to a project and organisation from a country (details supplied); if so, when those documents...
- Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism
- Sports Funding
Question 235: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if, in view of the stated aim of originally funding the sports hall at schools (details supplied) in County Dublin and the two...
- Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
- Departmental Programmes
Question 237: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will guarantee that all social economy projects announced by his Department will be continued as envisaged when...
- Department of Social and Family Affairs
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 238: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will grant back-to-work allowances to persons in receipt of unemployment benefit after a period of three months in view of...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 240: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was informed that their illness benefit appeal case had been referred for an oral...
- Department of Defence
- Army Barracks
Question 241: To ask the Minister for Defence if the closure of both barracks in north Donegal will put some strain on the families of soldiers stationed at Rockhill and Lifford in terms of...
- Defence Forces Deployment
Question 242: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the provision of Army personnel to replace garda personnel in the provision of security and protection at a development (details...
- Army Barracks
Question 243: To ask the Minister for Defence the amount the maintenance of Lifford and Rockhill Army Barracks cost the State in 2007. [40206/08]
- Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
- Water and Sewerage Schemes
Question 248: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when works will begin on the sewerage scheme for Hospital, County Limerick (details supplied); and if he will...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Fish Stocks
Question 249: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the statistics on the number of salmon recorded coming up rivers for each year since 2005 to date in 2008....
- Telecommunications Services
Question 250: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the date he will provide a better speed broadband to Fanad, County Donegal; his views on whether the lack of a...
- Energy Resources
Question 251: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action he has taken in conjunction with his EU colleagues to prevent speculation in the oil market...
- Department of Agriculture and Food
- Grant Payments
Question 252: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on...
- Farm Retirement Scheme
Question 253: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on whether the closure of the early retirement scheme is compatible with the terms of EU...
- Foreshore Licences
Question 254: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the long delay in processing an application for a foreshore lease lodged in 2002 by Port of Waterford in...
- Grant Payments
Question 255: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when payment of an organic farming scheme grant will be made to a person (detail supplied) in County Limerick; and if he...
- Fallen Animal Collection Scheme
Question 256: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amount of tonnes of meat and bone meal produced in each of the past ten years; the amount it cost to deal with this...
- Grant Payments
Question 257: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a farmer (details supplied) in County Sligo will receive their REP scheme four payment; if he will ensure that it is...
- Department of Education and Science
- Special Educational Needs
Question 259: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will reinstate the home tuition grant in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement...
- School Staffing
Question 260: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 513 of 4 November 2008, if he will identify the person who organised the meeting between his...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Question 261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 502 of 4 November 2008, the effect Budget 2009 will have on class sizes in each of the schools...
- School Staffing
Question 263: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 504 of 4 November 2008, the effect Budget 2009 will have on the number of language support...
- Schools Refurbishment
Question 265: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of an application for a furniture replacement grant by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...
- School Curriculum
Question 266: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a school (details supplied) in Dublin 12 will receive the promised funding for the leaving certificate technology programme; and...
- School Staffing
Question 267: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review his decision to withdraw substitution cover from schools in 2009; if his attention has been drawn to the...
- Residential Institutions Redress Scheme
Question 269: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when, in respect of the 64 properties which have been offered to the State from the religious orders under the terms of the indemnity...
- School Staffing and Grant Payments
Question 270: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the enrolment at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the number of teachers, permanent, temporary or part-time, assigned to...
- Departmental Correspondence
Question 271: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will arrange for his Department to relinquish its interest in a portion of a site (details supplied) in County Mayo in order...
- Early Retirement Scheme
Question 273: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will support the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [40235/08]
- School Staffing
Question 274: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will support a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [40236/08]
- Third Level Fees
Question 275: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on a submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40248/08]
- Vocational Education Committees
Question 276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funding provided to the vocational educational committees for 2009 versus 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Community Sports Halls
Question 277: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his intentions for the continuation of funding for community sports halls linked to schools (details supplied) in County Dublin along...
- School Accommodation
Question 280: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position of plans to find a new permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 22. [40263/08]
