Written answers
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
- Department of Finance
- Property Taxation Rate
6. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on introducing additional legislation or a ministerial order on or before the revaluation date for the local property tax for the purposes of ensuring...
- Tax Data
11. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the annual number of registrations for relevant contract tax refused by the Revenue Commissioners between 2008 and 2014....
- Tax Code
12. To ask the Minister for Finance the way he envisages Ireland will compete with the UK in terms of small businesses investment, in view of the success of the enterprise management incentive...
- Tax Data
13. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the annual tax revenue collected and tax refunds relating to relevant contract tax between 2008 and 2014. [45936/14]
- Mortgage Loan Books
14. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which he and his Department continue to monitor the situation with the various lending institutions in respect of mortgage arrears with...
- Corporation Tax Regime
15. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on reports that he is working with US multinationals to design the new knowledge box corporation tax scheme; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Budget 2015
16. To ask the Minister for Finance if, notwithstanding the very welcome tax reductions being implemented in the Finance Bill including the reduction in the different universal social charge...
- Banking Sector
17. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide details on plans for the sale of AIB to the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45992/14]
- Revenue Commissioners Investigations
18. To ask the Minister for Finance the progress to date on investigations into petrol stretching; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45951/14]
- Property Taxation Exemptions
19. To ask the Minister for Finance his views regarding the delay in implementing changes to the local property tax pyrite exemption, which he has acknowledged needs to be addressed the delay...
- Tax Reliefs Availability
20. To ask the Minister for Finance the length of time it will take to receive approval from the European Commission to make the amendments to the employment and investment incentive which have...
- Banking Sector
21. To ask the Minister for Finance further to his views regarding the future of AIB the reason he is quoted as saying the bank will return to private ownership over a number of years through a...
- Economic Growth Rate
22. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which economic indicators reflect improvement in the economy on an annual basis in each of the past three years to date; the extent to which such...
- Mortgage Lending
23. To ask the Minister for Finance his views that the new regulations under consideration by the Central Bank of Ireland, such as a requirement to have 20% of a deposit of house price to secure...
- Economic Growth
24. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council report and, in particular, its concerns regarding the potential for a distortion in growth figures. [45943/14]
- Tax Code
25. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the consultation process he announced in his budget speech regarding the proposed tax on vacant sites; and if he will make a...
- Revenue Commissioners Investigations
26. To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to curb the practice of petrol stretching; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45952/14]
- VAT Rate Application
27. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans regarding the VAT Directive applicable only to multinationals, neutralising VAT between related companies, but providing a substantial cash flow...
- Banking Sector Staff
28. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of workers outsourced at each of the State backed banks; and the plans of each of the banks to outsource further. [45967/14]
- Department of Social Protection
- Social Welfare Benefits
29. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that persons are having their social welfare benefits terminated on the basis of not replying to a...
- Carer's Allowance Applications
30. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a carer's allowance application following new evidence in support of a case in respect of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Community Work Initiatives
31. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be provided to the applicability of the Tús initiative to the Garda Reserve; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Social Welfare Schemes
32. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is further scope to expand the eligibility of the JobsPlus scheme to those out of work for shorter periods and who have been made offers by...
- Social Welfare Code
33. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding persons who are self employed and who simultaneously qualify for a means tested social welfare payment, jobseeker's allowance;...
- Home-makers Scheme
34. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will change the home-makers credit scheme to include home-makers who were providing care prior to 6 April 1994; and if she will make a...
- Pension Provisions
35. To ask the Minister for Social Protection regarding the recent OECD report, OECD Reviews of Pensions Systems: Ireland, which recommended the introduction of mandatory pensions, if her...
- Department of Finance
- Revenue Commissioners Investigations
36. To ask the Minister for Finance the quantity of petrol which was identified in Bournemouth, England, last summer as contaminated and subsequently rejected as unfit for the UK market that was...
- Mortgage Data
40. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of mortgages in the State that are owned by securitisation special purpose vehicles; and if he will provide the names of these companies. [46433/14]
- IBRC Liquidation
41. To ask the Minister for Finance in view of the unforeseen consequences that the liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation had on councils which held development bonds with the IBRC...
- VAT Rate Application
42. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the Revenue Commissioners' policy of applying the 23% VAT rate to many everyday food supplements taken for health reasons,...
- Government Expenditure
43. To ask the Minister for Finance the limits in actual figures and in percentage the expenditure benchmark will place on Government spending for the next five years if the Government's...
- Universal Social Charge Payments
44. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to cease the universal social charge which was introduced as a temporary measure to assist the country regain control of its finances; and if he will...
- Insurance Coverage
45. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding insurance cover for flooding in areas (details supplied) in County Kerry; the action that will be taken regarding these cases; his plans...
- Banking Sector
46. To ask the Minister for Finance the role he sees for redundant banks that have ceased to trade in the domestic market but have remained open to investment in corporate sectors; and if he will...
- Household Savings Rate
47. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which the level of savings here continues to remain strong; if any fluctuations have occurred; if competing agencies for such savings have...
- GDP-GNP Levels
48. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which the average industrial wage and-or GDP per capita here compares with other EU, Eurozone and Non-Eurozone States; and if he will make a...
- Economic Growth
49. To ask the Minister for Finance the way economic growth in this jurisdiction now compares with all other EU member states, those within the eurozone and without; and if he will make a...
- Pension Provisions
50. To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to address the plight of those with AMRFs who cannot currently access more than 25% of their savings other than by way of a nominal...
- Mortgage Lending
51. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which provision might be made to ensure that first time house buyers or those currently without a family home are not priced out of the market by...
- Mortgage Resolution Processes
52. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which homeowners whose mortgage loan books have been acquired by unregulated third parties can be assured of being appropriately accommodated by...
- Economic Competitiveness
54. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which this economy remains competitive in the context of all others throughout the EU both within and without the eurozone; and if he will make a...
- Inflation Rate
56. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which the risk of inflation continues to be monitored; the source of any such inflation; if house price inflation has featured; and if he will...
- Credit Availability
57. To ask the Minister for Finance the extent to which credit remains available to the small and medium enterprise sector with particular reference to the need to ensure adequate supply of...
- Economic Policy
58. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied regarding the performance of all aspects of the economy in the post bailout period; his plans for corrective measures; and if he will make a...
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
- Flood Prevention Measures
60. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Office of Public Works bypassed land (details supplied) in County Kerry without clearing it; and if he will make a...
- Local Authority Rates
61. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the exemption of commercial rates recently granted under the Valuation Bill 2014 to community or not-for-profit early child care...
- Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
- Microenterprise Loan Fund Applications
62. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a breakdown of the number of male applicants to the microfinance scheme; and the number of successful applicants in...
- Industrial Development
63. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views that the restructuring of the regions by the Industrial Development Agency will have a detrimental effect on the midlands;...
- Enterprise Support Services Expenditure
64. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide by local enterprise office basis, in tabular form, the amount of grant aid paid by the LEO to client companies at...
- Local Enterprise Offices Establishment
65. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he is satisfied that the service level agreement between Enterprise Ireland and each local authority regarding the management of...
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Single Payment Scheme Payments
66. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a single farm payment/disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and...
- Rural Environment Protection Scheme Applications
67. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a rural environment protection scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will...
- Single Payment Scheme Payments
68. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive payment of their single payment scheme and disadvantaged area scheme...
- Agri-Environment Options Scheme Eligibility
69. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the payment to date that has issued under the agri-environment option scheme 1 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County...
- Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments
70. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of a disadvantaged area scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make...
- Milk Quota Cessation
71. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to abolish the butter fat quota; and if so, when it is likely that this will happen. [46502/14]
- Single Payment Scheme Payments
72. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Department of Justice and Equality
- Proposed Legislation
73. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the children and family relationships Bill will be published. [46416/14]
- Garda Station Closures
74. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the closure of a Garda station (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46444/14]
- Proposed Legislation
75. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay in publishing the criminal justice (sexual offenders) Bill; if she will confirm the heads of Bill were agreed by Cabinet...
- Garda Misconduct Allegations
76. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to hold a public inquiry into the murder of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46463/14]
- Prisoner Data
77. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 304 of 11 November 2014, if she will identify the four prisoners convicted of homicide offences who failed...
- Road Traffic Offences
78. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding speeding fines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46508/14]
- Department of Health
- Medical Card Applications
79. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; when a decision will issue [46398/14]
- Hospice Services
80. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form and in respect of each of the voluntary hospice organisations here, the number of homecare workers, nurses, who are employed...
- Medical Card Applications
81. To ask the Minister for Health if he will expedite an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Hospital Waiting Lists
84. To ask the Minister for Health if a surgical appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46427/14]
- Counselling Services
85. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1036 of 17 September 2014, if he has received the report from the Health and Social Care Professionals Council on the...
- Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications
86. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a fair deal scheme in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46435/14]
- Home Help Service Provision
87. To ask the Minister for Health if further home-help may be offered in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46439/14]
- Hospital Waiting Lists
88. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Laois will receive a date for their heart bypass operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46451/14]
- Hardship Grant Scheme Applications
89. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that all local health offices are made aware of the hardship scheme and provided with the relevant application form; if he will provide a...
- Medical Card Applications
90. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46458/14]
- Health Services Provision
91. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be provided a required medical assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46460/14]
- Dental Services Provision
92. To ask the Minister for Health when public dental services will be provided in Ballybay, County Monaghan; if there are specific facilities for the provision of dental services in Ballybay;...
- Ministerial Meetings
93. To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet an organisation (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46473/14]
- Ambulance Service Provision
94. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46485/14]
- Medical Card Eligibility
96. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath was refused a medical card for their use and benefit, when same was purely on medical grounds in...
- Care of the Elderly Funding
97. To ask the Minister for Health if other funding supports are available through his Department, apart from the National Lottery funding, for groups that provide services to the elderly who may...
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Human Rights Issues
98. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on a recent request by Amnesty International and others that the Government should seek a re-opening of the case that Ireland took...
- Department of Education and Skills
- School Transport Expenditure
99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding approved by her Department for expenditure on the provision of escorts for children with special needs whilst being...
- State Examinations
100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected savings from introducing school-based assessment for the junior cycle. [46395/14]
- Data Protection
102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the data protection measures in place in schools when they are holding information that contains students' personal public service numbers. [46401/14]
- State Examinations
104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide references for any research she or her Department has drawn from to demonstrate the benefits of having teachers assess their...
- Education and Training Boards Staff
105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working in the 16 education and training boards who are on contracts of indefinite duration; the number in permanent...
- School Enrolments
106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter regarding the options available in respect of persons (details supplied) for their child being educated in their local...
- Departmental Funding
107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made towards the running of the National Parents Council Post Primary in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and...
- Data Protection
109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that information which schools are requested to collect on parents, medical card status, social welfare status and then...
- Schools Building Projects Status
112. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school funding in respect of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46459/14]
- Special Educational Needs Service Provision
113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will grant the assistance of a special needs assistant in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose speech therapist...
- Redundancy Payments
114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding redundancy payments in respect of an external school supervisor (details supplied) in County Donegal made redundant as a...
- Third Level Institutions
115. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if third level institutions reserve the right to refuse to issue students with letters confirming their non-attendance at that institution for a...
- Child Poverty
116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a proposal on a national strategic response to food poverty among school children here; if she will work with the Department for...
- Data Protection
117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to her statements that during the survey of social contexts of schools the data required were not in relation to the circumstances of...
- Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
- Irish Water Remit
118. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason some Irish Water owned vehicles are carrying the logo of a company (details supplied); and the relationship...
- Irish Water Administration
119. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46443/14]
- Community Development Projects
120. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the total funding for the LCDP in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013; and a breakdown of the...
- Library Services Funding
122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the necessary funding to Longford County Council for a library for Edgeworthtown. [46474/14]
- Leader Programmes Funding
123. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his proposals for the community development companies and the way the new Leader funding will be administrated; and if he...
- Housing Estates
126. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding issues in respect of an estate (details supplied) in County Kerry; if his Department will work with...
- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
- National Broadband Plan Implementation
127. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate broadband telecommunications infrastructure in an area in County Cavan;...
- Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
- Road Projects Expenditure
128. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be made available for the N7 upgrade, Osberstown interchange and Sallins bypass; and if he will make a statement on the...
- Sports Capital Programme Applications
129. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a sports grant application in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Meath which applied for funding to...
- Road Projects
130. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to plans to erect noise reduction barriers along the M9 close to towns such as Kilcullen, County Kildare,...
- Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme
131. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme, if he will confirm if the expert panel specifically considered the interests of...
- Taxi Regulations
132. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the case being taken by taxi drivers regarding the deregulation of the taxi industry a number of years...
- Sports Capital Programme Applications
133. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the necessary funding to Longford County Council for a new gym for Longford town. [46476/14]
- Road Projects
134. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the necessary funding for the new Flancare link road connecting the N6 to N63 in Longford Town. [46477/14]
- National Car Test
136. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the waiting lists for national car testing centres in Ballina, Westport, Sligo, Clifden and Galway; the steps he has taken to reduce...
- Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
- Farm Plan Scheme
137. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 599 of 25 November 2014, the number of farmers who participated in the National Parks and...
- Architectural Heritage
138. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will consider providing assistance in funding the purchase of a building (details supplied) in County Cork; and if...