Written answers
Thursday, 14 March 2013
- Department of Defence
- EU Presidency Issues
To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for enhancing EU/UN relations during Ireland's EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13257/13]
- Defence Forces Personnel
To ask the Minister for Defence the number of medical staff within the Defence Forces; the number who have a psychiatric qualification; the number in each category serving in a medical role here...
- Defence Forces Expenditure
To ask the Minister for Defence the way Ireland's defence expenditure as a share of GDP compares with other EU nations; his optimum target for such expenditure; and if he will make a statement on...
- Defence Forces Deployment
To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the Defence Forces mission in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13270/13]
- Defence Forces Remuneration
To ask the Minister for Defence the reason soldiers and other military professionals are not consulted on pay and service negotiations until after a prospective deal has been concluded; if he has...
- NATO Membership
To ask the Minister for Defence if he has plans for the State to join NATO. [13161/13]
- Defence Forces Reserve Abolition
To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of his plans to abolish the Reserve Defence Forces; if he will provide the details of any circulars issued by his Department within the...
- EU Battlegroups
To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding the numbers of Defence Forces personnel that have participated in EU Battlegroups; the cost to the Exchequer and future plans for...
- Defence Forces Operations
To ask the Minister for Defence if the EU has indicated any willingness or intention to assume responsibilities for any defence and or society issues including emergencies within Member States...
- Common Foreign and Security Policy
To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for the continued development of the common security and defence policy and the comprehensive approach to crisis management that he is prioritising...
- Air Ambulance Service
To ask the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to expand the role of the Air Corps air ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13149/13]
- Defence Forces Expenditure
To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide a breakdown of the cost of security at each of the closed army bases per month since their closure; the total amount of moneys paid to each...
- Defence Forces Operations
To ask the Minister for Defence the way he is fostering EU cooperation in the area of maritime security and surveillance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13258/13]
- Defence Forces Reserve
To ask the Minister for Defence if he has tasked anyone within his Department to examine the policy on reserve Defence Forces in Nordic states who contribute skilled soldiers on their...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Overseas Development Aid
To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the foreign aid that is being given to Tanzania; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13523/13]
- Department of Finance
- Fiscal Forecasts
To ask the Minister for Finance if the economy here is currently working off of a primary deficit or a primary surplus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13445/13]
- Tax Code
To ask the Minister for Finance the reason for his change in policy regarding claiming travel expenses for self-employed persons who travel to their place of work in the Cork region; and the...
- IBRC Staff
To ask the Minister for Finance the number of persons currently employed by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; the cost to the taxpayer of the proposed post-liquidation statutory redundancy...
- Betting Regulations
To ask the Minister for Finance in respect of the application for a bookmakers licence under the Betting Act 1931, the reason the certificate of personal fitness from the applicant's local...
- Non-disclosure Agreements
To ask the Minister for Finance his views on banks requiring customers in financial difficulties to sign non disclosure agreements prior to entering discussions with financial institutions; and...
- Mortgage Arrears Proposals
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the criteria that applies in respect of the split mortgage arrangements; if he will confirm, for each of the regulated banks whether or not the...
- Mortgage Arrears Rate
To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether information supplied to banks by customers through the standard financial statement contradicts suggestions that up to one third of mortgage...
- Home Repossession Rate
To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the recently expressed views(details supplied) that home repossession levels here are uncharacteristically low and may need to increase considerably;...
- Thalidomide Victim Compensation
To ask the Minister for Finance the role of his Department and agencies under his Department, that is, the State Claims Agency and the National Treasury Management Agency in bringing about a fair...
- Tax Rebates
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will acknowledge the lack of inclusion of an amendment to the Tax Consolidation Act 1997, this act imposed a costly change on the previous practice whereby...
- Department of Education and Skills
- Schools Building Projects Status
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the way to prioritise school building projects that are not on his Department's five year capital programme in the event of...
- Autism Policy
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will implement the recommendation of the Ombudsman for Children and publish his Department's policy on autism as a matter of urgency. [13452/13]
- Aistear Curriculum Framework
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the range of supports including the number of Aistear tutors and the number of in-service training hours facilitated through the teacher training...
- Croke Park Agreement Issues
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of any representative bodies who took part in the Croke Park II negotiations representing school managements; and if he...
- Apprenticeship Programmes
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to retain the FÁS four year apprenticeship training schemes in their current format in view of the FÁS/vocational education...
- Special Educational Needs Services Provision
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an overview of services that are available to a cohort of students (details supplied); his vision for the provision of such...
- Universities Legislation
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form broken down by years and for each institute of technology and university, the cost of compliance with S35 of the...
- Institutes of Technology
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, the amount of money spent on external legal fees divided between human resources and other issues since 2000,...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Freedom of Information Remit
To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to extend the Freedom of Information legislation to cover vocational education committees; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Pension Provisions
To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the pension levy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13491/13]
- Family Support Services
To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with reference to the Fiscal Case for Working with Troubled Families and also Listening to Troubled Families that were published by the...
- Department of Social Protection
- Child Benefit Eligibility
To ask the Minister for Social Protection her Department's policy on the payment of child benefit to children and their parents who do not reside in Ireland during the summer months out of school...
- Carer's Allowance Appeals
To ask the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer's allowance will be granted in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on...
- One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility
To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding one parent family payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Disability Allowance Appeals
To ask the Minister for Social Protection if, in view of medical evidence submitted, she will review the decision to refuse disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in...
- State Pension (Contributory)
To ask the Minister for Social Protection if and when entitlement to old age contributory pension will arise in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare in view of the totality...
- Jobseeker's Allowance Applications
To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an entitlement to jobseekers allowance exists in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications
To ask the Minister for Social Protection when basic social welfare payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
- Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility
To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the determination of eligibility for domiciliary care allowance in the case of a erson (details supplied) in County Kildare [13567/13]
- Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Údarás na Gaeltachta
To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with reference to an industrial estate in County Donegal, if his Department and Údarás na Gaeltachta will consider a proposal...
- Ferry Operations
To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the arrangements made by his Department for the transport of animals to and from the mainland to Dursey Island in 2013; and if he will...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- Irish Music Industry
To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the cultural importance of the Irish music industry and its potential to create employment, the policies to promote...
- Electricity Generation
To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if energy suppliers are required to offer a feed-in tariff for micro generators; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Planning Issues
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 has been completed; if changes are contemplated to the...
- Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when details of the new 2013 tenant purchase scheme will be made available; when the new scheme will open to tenants that wish...
- Local Authority Housing Maintenance
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the current funding for remedial works schemes in respect of council housing; and the future of this programme. [13483/13]
- Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update in the status of the investment programme application submitted by Fingal County Council in August...
- Local Authority Housing Mortgages
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will examine the case of persons making new or joint applications for local authority housing loans currently being...
- Local Government Reform
To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the abolition of town councils; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Prison Accommodation
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for Harristown House, Castlerea, County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13443/13]
- Personal Insolvency Act
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the Personal Insolvency Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13472/13]
- Garda Resources
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 6 March 2013, if he will elaborate the way the allocation of Garda resources is constantly monitored in...
- Garda Transport
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda cars that have been taken off the road in the past three years; the number of these that have been replaced; and if he will make a...
- Garda Recruitment
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when the next round of Garda recruitment commences, the Garda Reserve Force will be given preferential consideration. [13497/13]
- Betting Legislation
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to prohibit fixed odds betting terminals in upcoming legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13511/13]
- Citizenship Applications
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding a citizenship application in respect of a person (details supplied) [13512/13]
- Probation and Welfare Service
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current situation in County Kerry regarding probation officers; if there are probation officers available to deal with cases that need assistance;...
- Residency Permits
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a person (details supplied) was granted just one year even though similar applicants secured five years of residency; the reason for the...
- Naturalisation Applications
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if a review of the file in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal arising from which the original or photocopy of their child's...
- Asylum Applications
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedure to be followed to facilitate an application for asylum or refugee status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare;...
- Naturalisation Applications
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures to date and that still remain outstanding in the matter of determination of eligibility for naturalisation in the case of persons...
- Residency Permits
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding residency entitlement and/or eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and if he...
- Deportation Orders
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow with a view to revoking a deportation order in view of the fact...
- Residency Permits
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position, procedure to date followed and issues outstanding, if any, in regard to residency/entitlement to naturalisation in the case of a...
- Naturalisation Applications
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application for naturalisation has been received in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Dublin, only the latter of whose...
- Residency Permits
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the residency status and/or entitlement to naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a...
- Police Internships
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration is likely to be given to the training of cadets for other police forces in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Residency Permits
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding residency/entitlement and eligibility for naturalisation in the case of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will...
- Deportation Orders
To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will revoke the deportation order in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Department of Defence
- Departmental Expenditure
To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding a barracks (details supplied) in County Donegal; the costs to the State to date in 2013 of associated security; when there will be a...
- Common Foreign and Security Policy
To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which he has received communication from his EU colleagues in the context of European defence and or security issues; and if he will make a statement...
- Overseas Missions
To ask the Minister for Defence if he has had discussions with his EU colleagues in regard to the issue of future participation in EU led peace keeping or peace enforcing missions; and if he will...
- Defence Forces Training
To ask the Minister for Defence if the Naval Service has access to modern training facilities in line with other Defence Forces throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Defence Forces Reserve Training
To ask the Minister for Defence the degree to which the army reserves continue to have access to available modern training facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13577/13]
- Defence Forces Strength
To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that he can continue to maintain the current strength of the Army, Navy and Air Corps notwithstanding cost cutting arising from the memorandum...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Departmental Staff Redeployment
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of years employees of his Department have been seconded to two private companies, the Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society Ltd...
- Horse Passports
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans, if any, to enforce the transfer of ownership regulations in relation to horse traceability, in order that horse ownership...
- Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment in respect of their 2011 suckler cow grant; and if he will make a...
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a REP scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in Couny Galway; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of the suckler cow welfare scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make...
- Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid their agri-environment options scheme grant; and if he will make a statement...
- Forestry Sector
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reasons for the hold up in granting approvals for forestry planations in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding disadvantaged area aid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [13516/13]
- Live Exports
To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the procedure involved in the transport of live animals to a destination (details supplied ); and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Health
- Energy Usage
To ask the Minister for Health the measure that have been taken by his Department and the Health Service Executive to reduce energy use and to increase the use of electricity generated from...
- Health Services
To ask the Minister for Health the support services available in County Cork for amputees; the funding assigned for prosthetic and orthotic services; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Accident and Emergency Services
To ask the Minister for Health when the on call for emergency management under the auspices of the Major Emergency Management Framework programme was formally agreed and implemented; if he will...
- Substance Misuse
To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in introducing the recommendations arising from the national strategy of substances misuse which includes alcohol, particularly the...
- Thalidomide Victim Compensation
To ask the Minister for Health his views on a submission (details supplied) regarding thalidomide survivors; the number of meetings he has had with the group and the number planned; and if he...
- Health Service Executive Staff Remuneration
To ask the Minister for Health if he will re-examine a matter (details supplied) on the biomedical science training allowance at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 [13485/13]
- Medical Card Applications
To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [13486/13]
- Pension Provisions
To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the restoration of outstanding pension entitlements to a Health Service Executive pensioner (details supplied) following a decision by the...
- Medical Card Appeals
To ask the Minister for Health if he will review an appeal for a full medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry [13503/13]
- General Practitioner Services
To ask the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5, a medical card holder, who is in his 70s and entitled to a free driving licence every three years, has been...
- Health Services
To ask the Minister for Health in view of the fact that there are more than 220,000 persons with vision impairment here, the steps he will take to tackle this problem; and if he will make a...
- Medical Card Appeals
To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13519/13]
- Medical Card Applications
To ask the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13544/13]
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Road Maintenance
To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason South Dublin County Council received a lower amount of funding than Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council under the local and...
- Tourism Promotion
To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the marketing or support mechanisms in place to promote shooting and fishing holidays here; and if he will make a statement on the matter....
- Driving Licences
To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the introduction of the new credit card style driving licence which was introduced in January 2013 will be reviewed to allow customers to...
