Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

141. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52160/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

144. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52151/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

154. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52153/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

169. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52156/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

184. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52154/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

201. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52150/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

204. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52152/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

219. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52158/12]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Halligan

228. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the number of former semi-State agency executives or employees, on an agency basis, in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52161/12]

Promissory Note Negotiations

John Halligan

41. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if there is any further update on dealing with Ireland's legacy debt following the ECOFIN meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50523/12]

Arts Council Funding

John Halligan

154. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will give a commitment not to reduce current levels of funding given to The Arts Council of Ireland and local authorities in view of the fact that further cuts would result in job losses within the Arts sector here which currently employs 20,755 persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50740/12]

Fire Service Staff

John Halligan

173. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of fire chiefs, assistant fire chiefs, senior assistant chiefs, fire prevention chiefs, full-time fire fighters and part-time fire fighters currently employed in County Waterford; the number of part-time fire fighters that have resigned from the services in County Waterford in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50736/12]

Local Authority Staff Remuneration

John Halligan

174. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the pay scale currently used in the fire services; specifically, the annual salary and expenses payable to fire chiefs, assistant fire chiefs, senior assistant chiefs, fire prevention chiefs, full-time fire fighters and part-time fire fighters. [50737/12]

Local Government Fund

John Halligan

175. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will give a commitment not to reduce current levels of funding given to The Arts Council of Ireland and local authorities as further cuts would result in job losses within the Arts sector here which currently employs 20,755 persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50739/12]

Child Benefit Payments

John Halligan

180. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the proposals to cut additional payments to parents of multiple births in budget 2013 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50553/12]

Tobacco Control Measures

John Halligan

253. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 24 October 2012, if any members of his Department or any Irish officials will be attending the COP5 fifth session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO framework Convention on Tobacco Control which is due to take place in Seoul on 12 to 17 November 2012; if so, if he will provide details of this delegation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50307/12]

Hospital Staff Recruitment

John Halligan

267. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will give a commitment to have the podiatry post filled in Waterford Regional Hospital as it has been in hospitals in Dublin, Galway and Limerick; if he will acknowledge that the filling of this post is critical to tackling diabetes foot disease in the community and keeping persons with this health complication out of hospital, healthy and mobile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50430/12]

Hospital Staff Recruitment

John Halligan

268. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if the promised second adult diabetes endocrinologist consultant post will soon be awarded in Waterford Regional Hospital; when this post will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50431/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

John Halligan

106. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the cases of persons (details supplied) in relation to community welfare offices having flexibility in making payments. [49921/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

John Halligan

141. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will respond to evidence that new rent allowance limits are resulting in tenants becoming homeless and or living in overcrowded situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49917/12]

Hospital Services

John Halligan

623. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the date the independent hospital review group is due to report back to him; if he will agree that a reconfiguration of hospitals within the south east with Waterford Regional Hospital at its central core is the most strategic way forward; if he acknowledges that a critical mass of 500,000 people living in the south east region makes a south east hospital network the most viable option; if he will confirm that any reconfiguration which takes place at Waterford Regional Hospital will not diminish WRH's status as a level four category hospital; if he will provide details of the review groups terms of reference; if he will further confirm if the group was instructed to take into account the fact that increases in travel times for patients and relatives are materially relative to gains in clinical outcomes; if the group has met and taken into consideration the views of the South East Hospital Working Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49707/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

John Halligan

23. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that there are standard contracts with detailed terms and conditions for workers in the home help sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41676/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

John Halligan

55. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to concerns being raised by home helps with regards to their lack of contracts and conditions of employment; his plans to take action regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41677/12]

Carer's Allowance Delays

John Halligan

107. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason behind the decision to allocate further staff resources to new applications for carer's allowance in an effort reduce processing times while old applications, that is, those received prior to a certain date are still being subjected to delays, some of which have already been waiting over a year for a decision; her vies on whether it would have been more prudent to allocate the extra staff to clear the backlog while still dealing with newer applications at a speedier pace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48842/12]

Anti-Social Behaviour

John Halligan

135. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 427 of 23 October 2012, in view of increasing levels of anti-social behaviour being reported here at the moment, the number of warrants issued and evictions being sought noted in his response seems to be very low; if he will clarify the number of the noted complaints and evictions recorded for 2010 and 2011 that related to Waterford city and county councils respectively; if he will further clarify the number of anti social behaviour officers employed in city and county councils across the State; the number of staff allocated to these antisocial behaviour departments within local authorities and the cost to the relevant local authority. [48841/12]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

John Halligan

214. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress report on the review of accident and emergency service at St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48891/12]

Mobility Allowance Decision

John Halligan

215. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the mobility allowance for persons over 66 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48893/12]

Exploration Licences Approvals

John Halligan

141. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the input he had, in the decision to grant an exploratory licence to a company (details supplied) to drill and conduct seismic surveys in the major fishing area of Dublin Bay and the Kish Bank. [48409/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

John Halligan

30. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the interests of the welfare of the children at Angels Quest in Glenageary, County Dublin, if he will request that the staff and funding be made available to ensure that the 24 hour emergency service is maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46735/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

John Halligan

38. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the threatened closure of the 24 hour emergency service at Angels Quest, the plans she has to ensure that children will not be adversely affected by cuts to essential services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46737/12]

Tobacco Smuggling

John Halligan

49. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail in tabular form the number of illicit cigarettes that have been seized by the Revenue Commission and Gardaí to date in 2012; if he could detail the source of origin of these cigarettes; if he can provide an estimate of the monetary value of the illicit cigarette trade here to those engaged in the smuggling and sale of illicit cigarettes; if he will provide an estimate of the cost to the Exchequer and legitimate retailers of the illicit cigarette trade; if any co-operation takes place between the Revenue Commissioners, the Gardaí and his Department, the Department of Justice and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in formulating and implementing policy in relation to the illicit cigarette trade; his plans to adopt any additional measures to counteract the damage the illicit cigarette trade causes by exposing minors to unregulated supplies of tobacco, such as those recommended by Retail Ireland in their August 2012 report Tackling the Black Market and Retail Crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46636/12]

Tax Code

John Halligan

54. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain the way in which taxes (details supplied) are used and the matters they fund [46684/12]

Household Charge Collection

John Halligan

179. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the financial cost associated with the recent letters posted to homes in Waterford city this week in relation to the household charge; from whom the list of names was obtained; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many of these letters were forwarded to persons who are now deceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46844/12]

Local Government Reform

John Halligan

51. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will bring forward a statement on the way in which he intends to proceed with the merging of Waterford City and county councils; specifically, the way in which a unified Waterford authority will be better positioned to address the many economic challenges facing Waterford; the legislative changes that will be required in the reorganisation process; the key issues and challenges that have been identified in the actual merger process; if any particular early priorities in service delivery are likely to be achieved ahead of the merger; location of the headquarters of the new authority is likely to be located; if he will provide details of the Waterford Implementation Group’s terms of reference; the reason the boundary area between Waterford and Kilkenny was not addressed in the reform programme; the amount being saved by Waterford City and county councils through local government efficiency savings since 2010; if those savings already accrued are included in the estimated €5 million savings to be brought about by the proposed reforms in Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46507/12]

Foreshore Licences Applications

John Halligan

75. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regards to the recent Foreshore Licence granted to Providence Resources to drill an exploratory well just six kms from the Dublin coastline, if he believes he complied with the rules of the Aarhus Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46183/12]

Foreshore Licences Applications

John Halligan

89. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regards to the recent Foreshore Licence granted to Providence Resources to drill an exploratory well just six kms from the Dublin coastline, if he is satisfied that no Environmental Impact Assessment was required under EU Directive 85/337/EEC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46185/12]

Passport Applications

John Halligan

120. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will clarify the rationale behind the Passport Office ceasing to issue same day emergency or temporary one journey passports to the public, where an emergency arises in a business situation the financial burden which results from a persons inability to freely travel can have devastating implications for small businesses (details supplied); his plans to provide Irish citizens with travel documentation to facilitate more flexible travel within the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45949/12]

Child Care Services Provision

John Halligan

366. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection in relation to her acknowledgement that parents should not lose the one parent family payment when their youngest child reaches the age of seven unless a comprehensive system of Scandinavian style childcare is in place; if she will fulfil her promise to ensure the introduction of affordable childcare or after-school care nationally before the implementation of the new one parent family payment cut off point of seven years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46334/12]

Anti-Social Behaviour

John Halligan

427. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of complaints received by local authorities in 2010 and 2011 as a result of anti-social behaviour; the number of evictions that have been carried out by local authorities as a result of these complaints; the steps being taken to combat anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45938/12]

Local Authority Services

John Halligan

436. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that under a directive from his Department that both the public and disabled toilets in Tramore, County Waterford have been closed for the foreseeable future, the reason this directive was enforced; if he will reconsider the indefinite closure of this vital public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46273/12]

Harbour Authorities Membership

John Halligan

66. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will launch an independent investigation into the event of February 2010 when a dinner took place in the Royal Marine Hotel hosted by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company chief executive officer and if he will confirm how this event was paid for; the amount this event cost; if he will provide a breakdown of what the costs were for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45204/12]

Harbour Authorities Appointments

John Halligan

73. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm the policy for filling vacant positions in semi state agencies; if Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company is subject to this policy; if he will confirm that the said harbour company has always recruited according to this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45205/12]

Human Rights Issues

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will formally condemn and further call upon the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Medical Council of Ireland to unreservedly condemn the arrest, sentencing and ill treatment of a number of Bahraini medics, who were trained by the RCSI at its university in Bahrain (details supplied); if he will publicly call for their convictions to be immediately overturned and for the Bahraini authorities to show compassion and humanity; if he will call upon the King of Bahrain to intervene and correct the injustices committed, by commuting the prison sentences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45198/12]

Illness Benefit Costs

John Halligan

54. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position in relation to transferring the responsibility for the provision of sick pay from the State to employers for the first two to four weeks of illness; if she intends bringing forward accompanying legislation to require employers to pay full sick leave to employees; if she has had any consultations with employers groups IBEC or ISME regarding the implications of this proposal; her views on whether this would widen the gap between the public and private sectors in terms of job security; if she has reached any conclusions on the way they might adequately manage the levels of absenteeism which exists in Government Departments; if she will acknowledge that moving the responsibility of the provision of sick pay entitlements to employers would affect the private sector placing an additional unsupportable burden on many employers who are already struggling in the current economic climate; if she is considering a State sponsored insurance scheme that could mitigate the burden for smaller firms; if she will now acknowledge that this proposal may in fact make Ireland less competitive internationally at a time when we should be promoting markets, creating opportunities for businesses to grow and create sustainable employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44934/12]

Gender Proofing of Policies

John Halligan

85. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will gender-proof Budget 2013 before publication to ensure that women will not be disproportionately affected by cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44579/12]

Child Benefit Payments

John Halligan

107. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has consulted or is planning to consult with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, in the interests of the imprescriptible rights of children with regard to any planned cuts to child benefit, back to school allowance, family income supplement, back to education allowance, carer's allowance, disability benefit and all other social protection payments which can impact on child welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44580/12]

Hospital Waiting Lists

John Halligan

649. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for patients awaiting x-rays in hospitals throughout the country where they have not been referred as either an in-patient or through the accident and emergency department; his views on whether this is a reasonable time; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44436/12]

Radio Broadcasting Issues

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider favourably the request by the independent broadcasters of Ireland for funding to support public service broadcasting on independent commercial radio in view of the fact that EU law on State aid would not apply in such a situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44073/12]

Petroleum and Gas Exploration

John Halligan

30. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of a possible oil find in Dublin Bay, if his attention has been drawn to the pamphlet, produced by Dublin Shell to Sea Campaign, Liquid assets: Ireland's oil and gas resources and how they can be managed for the people's benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43746/12]

Exploration Licences Approvals

John Halligan

37. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources with regard to the exploratory licence recently granted to a company (details supplied), when the drilling in Dublin bay is due to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43742/12]

Public Sector Staff Issues

John Halligan

27. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to maintain frontline services in view of his plans for targeted voluntary redundancies in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43500/12]

School Staffing

John Halligan

66. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has any concerns that cuts on newly qualified teachers will have a detrimental effect on both their morale and the willingness of young persons to enter such a low paid profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43050/12]

Teachers' Remuneration

John Halligan

109. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline his ideas for restructuring teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43049/12]

School Transport Availability

John Halligan

221. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider reinstating the entitlement of some 20 children (details supplied) to qualify for transportation under the school transport scheme in the 2012/2013 school year; the monetary savings that would be made arising from changes to the school transport scheme in respect of these 20 pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32498/12]

Education Policy

John Halligan

222. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the resources that are being put in place to ensure that every child in the State, regardless of ability, can access education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33394/12]

Ground Rents Abolition

John Halligan

446. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality notwithstanding either the provisions contained in Part III of the Landlord and Tenant (Grounds Rents) (No. 2) Act 1978 which contains a statutory scheme whereby the fee simple interest in lands upon which a dwelling is constructed may be purchased by the property owner, or the abandoned 1997 Fianna Fáil PMM - the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rent Abolition) Bill which at the time received the support of Dáil Éireann and was referred to the Select Committee on Equality and Law Reform, his plans to bring forward further legislation to entirely abolish the requirement to pay these ground rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42717/12]

Hospitals Building Programme

John Halligan

679. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 2 October 2012 regarding the €1.5 million which was allocated for construction and development work at the Department of Psychiatry at Waterford Regional Hospital under the Acute Mental Health Services Reconfiguration Plan outlined in 2010, if he will clarify that although there has been an aesthetic improvement to the facilities in the DOP with the addition of a small garden, the reason no additional floor space or service user resources were provided with the funding; the reason the bulk of the funding allocated was spent on administration offices and tribunal offices which will not be in regular use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43322/12]

Tax Collection

John Halligan

35. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider a wealth tax as an alternative to property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42324/12]

Tax Code

John Halligan

60. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider higher taxes on incomes of more than €100,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42284/12]

University Status

John Halligan

148. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there have been any further developments in relation to the south east and in particular Waterford Regional Technical College being granted university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41341/12]

IDA Jobs Data

John Halligan

228. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs and opportunities that have been created by the Industrial Development Agency for Waterford City and County within the past 18 months; the way these figures compare with job creation levels in cities and counties such as Limerick, Cork and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41347/12]

Jobseeker's Allowance Applications

John Halligan

275. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding leeway in the means testing of jobseeker's allowance (details supplied). [41398/12]

Local Authority Services

John Halligan

379. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will clarify for Dáil Éireann the plans he has for the potential merger of services within Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council; when these plans will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41870/12]

Local Authority Services

John Halligan

380. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the level the numbers of currently elected council members on both Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council will potentially be reduced to; the estimated timeframe for any potential changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41873/12]

Mental Health Services Provision

John Halligan

568. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health when day clinics, home based treatment facilities and additional staff will be provided to the Mental Health Services in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41885/12]

Hospital Consultants Remuneration

John Halligan

33. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the reason the issue of private practice was not on the table for negotiations with the consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41011/12]

Health Services Provision

John Halligan

58. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding surgical equipment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40793/12]

Severe Weather Events

John Halligan

48. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recent announcement by the Irish Farmers Association that inclement weather may cause yields to be reduced by up to 25% or the loss of 500,00 tons in potential grain production which could potentially leave the sector down an estimated €100 million compared to 2011; his further views on the impact this will have on the agricultural sector as a whole; if he will also confirm if any plans are being considered by him to bridge the gap and mitigate the losses which will undoubtedly adversely affect the agricultural community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40618/12]

Illegal Moneylenders

John Halligan

19. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of illegal money lenders being brought to the attention of the Financial Services Regulator; the number that have been brought to the attention of the Gardaí; and the number being prosecuted. [37875/12]

Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists

John Halligan

79. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to deal with the 96,000 families on the housing list and to reduce substantially the long waiting times for permanent, secure and affordable housing for those families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39038/12]

Foreshore Licences Applications

John Halligan

85. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his intentions regarding a foreshore drilling licence applied for by a company (details supplied) concerning an area six kilometres off the Dalkey and Killiney coast, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39037/12]

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

John Halligan

646. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will give a firm commitment that there will be no cuts to basic social welfare rates in the next budget; if she will give a further commitment that there will be no cuts by stealth, through changing eligibility rules and cutting secondary benefits; if she is seeking views specifically from such groups as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service on the potential effect of cuts to the social welfare rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37195/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

John Halligan

1122. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of advisers currently employed by his Department; if his Department has employed new advisers; and if so, the costs involved. [37872/12]

General Medical Services Scheme

John Halligan

711 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the reason an injection (details supplied) has been removed from medical cards and if he will reconsider same.
[35949/12]

Arts Funding

John Halligan

3 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the advice he will give for alternative funding for an organisation (details supplied) which has studios in Swords, Athlone, Navan, Ashbourne, Finglas, Balbriggan and Portlaoise in view of the fact they do not qualify for funding from the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35361/12]

General Medical Services Scheme

John Halligan

797 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm if the B12 vitamin injection has been removed from medical cards (details supplied).
[35009/12]

Human Rights Issues

John Halligan

3 Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and raise with him the issue of an independent and credible investigation into the murder of journalists (details supplied) in February 2012; the steps he has taken and is taking in addressing anti press violence in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33766/12]

Child Care Services

John Halligan

56 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Dublin has been excluded from school, has no respite and their father has no care at home for them; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33338/12]

Tax Yield

John Halligan

21 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance based on the most up-to-date revenue figures, the total earnings of the top 10% of income earners and the amount of tax this group is paying in absolute and percentage terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32757/12]

Fiscal Policy

John Halligan

40 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance with regard to the recent EU meeting on the European banking crisis, the relief Irish citizens may expect in terms of an end to and reversal of cuts and austerity measures over the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32758/12]

Semi-State Sector Remuneration

John Halligan

14 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the pay level set by the Government in respect of the starting salary for the chief executive of a commercial State company was breached for in the incoming chief executive of the VHI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32497/12]

Tourism Promotion

John Halligan

97 Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will work with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, in the interests of promoting tourism, to ensure that the jetty and safety railing on Dalkey Island are repaired and made safe to allow visitors to the island this summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32102/12]