Written answers
Thursday, 15 March 2012
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Question 1: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the budget, the costs spent to date and the benefits of Ireland holding the presidency of the Organisation for...
- Irish Emigrants
Question 2: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding aid given to Irish emigrants living in Britain on a yearly basis from 1987 to date in tabular...
- Department of Finance
- Drug Enforcement
Question 4: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of funding allocated to running the joint task force on drug interdiction; and if he will provide an update on their work. [14708/12]
- Tax Collection
Question 5: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the estate of a deceased person (details supplied) in County Sligo has not been dealt with by the Revenue Commissioners despite this...
- State Banking Sector
Question 6: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a table detailing the number of tracker mortgages currently held by each of the covered institutions and the percentage of these...
- Banking Sector Regulation
Question 8: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce measures to assist persons who acted in good faith in becoming guarantors for mortgages at the height of the boom and now find...
- Departmental Staff
Question 10: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons who retired from the Civil Service at the end of February 2012 from offices located in County Clare under his remit; and if he...
- Tax Code
Question 11: To ask the Minister for Finance if he intends to undertake a review process and consultation exercise with regard to residency laws and taxation, in view of the poor tax take from...
- Bank Stress Tests
Question 12: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm, further to Question No. 123, that the EBA peer review team was aware of and approved all amendments to methodologies and changes...
- Promissory Notes
Question 13: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm whether a restructuring of the IBRC promissory note would require approval from EU heads of Government; and if he will make a...
- Credit Facilities
Question 14: To ask the Minister for Finance if he is concerned by the latest Bank Watch survey from the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, ISME, which indicated that while demand...
- Tax Code
Question 15: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will be making a formal submission in response to the letter from nine EU member states seeking the introduction of a financial transactions...
- State Banking Sector
Question 16: To ask the Minister for Finance the projected cost of the redundancy scheme at AIB; the expected payroll saving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14828/12]
- Financial Products
Question 17: To ask the Minister for Finance if he expects an improvement in the funding position of covered banks arising from the warehousing of tracker mortgages, resulting in a reduction in...
- European Stability Mechanism
Question 18: To ask the Minister for Finance the current position in regard to plans to increase the size of the European Stability Mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Department of Education and Skills
- School Accommodation
Question 19: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding he has provided to a school (details supplied) in respect of renting land and prefabs at its current location; his...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 21: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will sanction the extension of facilities at a secondary school (details supplied) in County Mayo under the devolved grant scheme;...
- School Staffing
Question 22: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list the primary and post-primary schools on a county basis that are likely to lose three or more teaching posts from their...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 24: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grants a primary school may apply for this year to do work such as insulating the school, obtaining a new front door, window and...
- School Transport
Question 27: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of those schools in County Donegal which were the designated school for children under the closed school...
- Schools Refurbishment
Question 28: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department is insisting under the recently announced replacement of prefabs programme that all new structures must be...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 29: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects a decision to be made in respect of an application by a primary school (details supplied) in County Sligo for additional...
- School Staffing
Question 30: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that the present figure of 27.11 teachers at a DEIS band 1 school (details supplied) will remain in place. [14722/12]
- Schools Amalgamation
Question 31: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- School Staffing
Question 32: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of DEIS secondary schools in the State that were not in a position to offer higher level maths and higher level Irish courses...
- Schools Building Projects
Question 34: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate the process followed and the conditions which had to be satisfied in the selection of the locations of new schools...
- Higher Education Grants
Question 35: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been made on an appeal in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 36: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide examination support for children who developed narcolepsy after receiving the swine flu vaccine; if he has spoken...
- Departmental Schemes
Question 37: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the school book grant scheme for each of the years 2010 and 2011 for the primary national schools and post-primary schools....
- School Curriculum
Question 38: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the Irish curriculum in secondary schools and any other subjects that demand a change in books every year. [14770/12]
- School Staffing
Question 40: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 with a language support teacher in line with its appeal against the decision...
- School Curriculum
Question 43: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is giving consideration to making science compulsory at leaving certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Schools Building Projects
Question 44: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a primary school (details supplied) in Galway, currently dependent on eight prefabs to cater for more than half of its 450...
- Special Educational Needs
Question 46: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the...
- School Staffing
Question 48: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools affected by his decision to remove 16 rural legacy posts as and from 31 August 2012; the reason these 16 rural legacy posts...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- EU Directives
Question 49: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, under Article 19, the social pillar of public procurement EU directive, the percentage and monetary value of public...
- Property Valuations
Question 50: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will expedite a valuation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14834/12]
- Island Projects
Question 51: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount that has been spent by the Office of Public Works on projects on Fenit Island, County Kerry, since 1960; and if he...
- Departmental Staff
Question 52: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons who retired from the Civil Service at the end of February 2012 from offices located in County Clare under...
- Sale of State Assets
Question 53: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, with respect to sale of State assets, the process being taken to establish potential buyers; if a database is being...
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
- Information Technology
Question 54: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, further to Parliamentary Question No. 228 of 6 March 2012, if he supported cloud computing directly prior to the Action Plan...
- EU Directives
Question 55: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the EU directive on temporary agency work; when he expects it to be implemented; and if he will make a...
- Department of Social Protection
- Redundancy Payments
Question 56: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that applications were received on 16 and 17 August 2011 to the Government insolvency fund...
- Money Advice and Budgeting Service
Question 57: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when, in what manner and on what terms additional staff will be recruited for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service; and if she will make...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 58: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when is it expected that an oral hearing will take place on an application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details...
- Social Welfare Code
Question 59: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will elaborate on the proposed changes to the social welfare code as they relate to self-employed persons or those formerly...
- Flood Relief
Question 60: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount of the €10 million humanitarian assistance scheme set up in the aftermath of flooding in October 2011 that has been allocated;...
- Departmental Offices
Question 61: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will reverse the decision to close the community welfare office service in Malahide, Dublin, from 20 March 2012, forcing residents...
- Fire Service
Question 62: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of retained firefighters who are in receipt of social welfare payments under the jobseeker's allowance system; and if she will...
- Departmental Schemes
Question 63: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if any scheme is in place through which persons working part-time will be considered for an internship for the purposes of improving their...
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 64: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if this will be paid as a matter of...
- Social Welfare Benefits
Question 66: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding financial support in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [14808/12]
- Social Welfare Appeals
Question 69: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for disability allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if it could be...
- Community Employment Schemes
Question 70: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14861/12]
- Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs
- National Monuments
Question 72: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, further to Parliamentary Question No. 208 of 6 March 2012, the steps being taken to take into State ownership Haroldstown...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Telecommunications Services
Question 73: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of qualifying applicants who now remain in the rural broadband scheme since the deadline of 2 March;...
- Natural Gas Grid
Question 75: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the national gas grid will be extended to include the towns of Tralee, Listowel and Killarney, County...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Local Authority Charges
Question 76: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of households obliged to pay the household charge in the district electoral divisions of Ballygall...
- Job Creation
Question 77: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding or the possibility of funding available for a voluntary community innovation hub...
- Register of Electors
Question 78: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm the regulations regarding the return of application form RFA2 for inclusion in supplement...
- Unfinished Housing Developments
Question 79: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence regarding unfinished housing estates (details supplied); and if he will make a...
- Local Authority Housing
Question 80: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the mechanism available to a person (details supplied) to protect their home in view of their financial...
- Local Government Charges
Question 81: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether two adjoining residential units can operate as one household in circumstances in which...
- Fire Services
Question 84: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of retained firefighters employed by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Building Regulations
Question 90: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, noting the European Commission response to Question E-012450/2011 regarding the right of building designers...
- Community Development Programme
Question 92: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how the local and community development programme is being rolled out nationally; if he will detail its...
- Rural Development Programme
Question 93: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of grant applications made to each area's Leader partnership board in 2011 in County Cork; and if...
- Department of Justice, Equality and Defence
- Road Safety
Question 95: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of drivers that have been fined under the 2011 Road Traffic Act for refusing to be tested for alcohol in the aftermath of a...
- Private Security Authority
Question 96: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the term of the appeals board of the Private Security Authority has expired; when new appointments will be made; and if he will make...
- Closed Circuit Television Systems
Question 97: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to reinstate the community CCTV scheme previously administered by POBAL on behalf of his Department; if so, when it will...
- Garda Operations
Question 98: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on Operation Clean Street; the number of persons arrested and charged to date; the number of successful convictions...
- Illegal Immigrants
Question 99: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that were part of the mass deportation to Nigeria on 7 March 2012; the number of those deported that were...
- Spent Convictions
Question 100: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the length of time a conviction remains on a person's record with respect to applying for Garda vetting or clearance. [14737/12]
- Criminal Investigations
Question 101: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of all criminal investigations into the management and operation of the affairs of Anglo Irish Bank, EBS, AIB and Bank of...
- Residency Permits
Question 103: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date in the determination of residency and naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8;...
- Asylum Support Services
Question 105: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if it might be possible to facilitate the request from a person (details supplied) for transfer from their present accommodation to an...
- Residency Permits
Question 106: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date in the determination of residency in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will...
- Proposed Legislation
Question 110: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to make any amendments to maternity leave regulations in order to allow parents to share this entitlement to leave...
- Military Medals
Question 114: To ask the Minister for Defence if it possible to replace an old IRA medal that was lost in a house fire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14758/12]
- Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food
- Departmental Reports
Question 115: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a report into fish farming in Ireland was carried out by, or on behalf of, his Department in 1994; and if he will make a...
- Departmental Properties
Question 116: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will explain the reasoning behind his decision to substantially increase the rental amount it charges a fisheries...
- Pigmeat Sector
Question 117: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the introduction of a partial loan guarantee for pig farmers in order to enable them to restructure...
- Direct Payment Schemes
Question 118: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will furnish a copy of the out-wintering regulations, which are relevant in the context of good agricultural and...
- Departmental Agencies
Question 119: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in relation to the beef technology adoption programme, if he will ensure that Teagasc does not increase its fees to...
- Grant Payments
Question 120: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 457 of 8 November 2011 and 325 of 6 December 2011, when an appeal will be...
- Noxious Weeds
Question 121: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the serious problem with the growth of ragwort around the countryside and roadsides, if...
- Department of Health
- Missing Children
Question 122: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when it is intended to have the 116000 missing children hotline up and running, in view of its importance in relation to finding...
- Advertising Standards
Question 123: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the contact she has had with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland regarding advertising which targets children, particularly...
- Adoption Acts
Question 124: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with whom responsibility rests for initiating prosecutions for breaches of the 1952 Adoption Act and all subsequent adoption...
- Youth Services
Question 125: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding advice and support in respect of a club (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [14806/12]
- Hospital Charges
Question 127: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding inpatient charges in respect of a person (details supplied). [14658/12]
- Patient Statistics
Question 128: To ask the Minister for Health the statistics regarding the incidence of childhood type 2 diabetes over the past ten years; the number of cases diagnosed each year; and if he will...
- Health Service Staff
Question 129: To ask the Minister for Health the steps the Health Service Executive is taking in Roscommon PCCC to fill vacant posts in the school health programme; and if he will make a...
- Health Service Allowances
Question 130: To ask the Minister for Health if a couple registered as civil partners are entitled to claim together under the drug payment and long-term illness schemes; and if he will make a...
- Services for People with Disabilities
Question 131: To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has cut the starting rate for personal assistants coming into the service and reduced payment for Sundays...
- Health Services
Question 132: To ask the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for occupational therapy services in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make...
- Ambulance Service
Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health the number of intermediate care vehicles in use and the number of intermediate care operatives specifically employed to operate them as part of the...
- Hospital Staff
Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health the number of consultant neurologists in the public health service in Ireland; the hospitals at which they work; if he considers this to be an...
- Data Retention
Question 138: To ask the Minister for Health his plans to store historical and new Guthrie cards at Temple Street Children's University Hospital, Dublin; the timeline and extent of the upcoming...
- Ambulance Service
Question 139: To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of public 24 advanced life support cover from 19 March 2012 in Limerick; if his further attention...
- Hospital Services
Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health the hospitals in Dublin that provide treatment for patients from the Lucan area with cancer diagnoses. [14775/12]
- Hospital Transfers
Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health the procedures for transferring patients between hospitals in Dublin for specialist treatment. [14776/12]
- Hospitals Building Programme
Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health how he and the Health Service Executive intend to build the Corduff primary health care centre, Dublin, following the failure of the recent public...
- Health Services
Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding speech therapy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow. [14794/12]
- Departmental Reports
Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health if he has commissioned a report into an outbreak of [i]Clostridium difficile[/i] in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth, in 2010; if...
- Accident and Emergency Services
Question 147: To ask the Minister for Health the impact of the measures implemented on foot of recommendations by the special delivery unit for the purposes of reducing waiting times and the...
- Medical Cards
Question 149: To ask the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14849/12]
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Vehicle Clamping
Question 150: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the regulations that exist for private clamping companies. [14742/12]
- Taxi Regulation
Question 151: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review the impact on the livelihoods or investments of many taxi drivers of the proposal contained in the report by...
- Road Traffic Offences
Question 152: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he intends to commence section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, which will close the loophole whereby some drivers are...
- Sports Capital Programme
Question 153: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if sports capital funding will be available in 2012; when this money will be available; how interested organisations seeking...
- Tourism Industry
Question 155: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will intervene with Dublin Tourism to return the Fry Model Railway to Malahide in order that the €1.5 million upgrade...
- Vehicle Clamping
Question 156: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a legal basis for the operation of the private car clamping sector; and the charges it extorts from private...
- Tourism Industry
Question 157: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what application has been made to his Department or Fáilte Ireland for the funding of West Fest in County Mayo in summer 2012...
- Coast Guard Service
Question 159: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is intended to provide a coast guard station in west Connemara in the Cleggan area; the progress made with such a...
