Written Answers Nos. 577-596
577. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their application for medical card; the reason for the delay in issuing a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42000/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
578. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive a dental appointment. [42001/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
579. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the annual health payroll bill for the years 2007 to 2012 inclusive; if he will provide a breakdown of same by year, numbers employed and staff category, that is management, administration, ICT, general support staff, medical, nursing, dental, allied health and social care professionals, science, laboratory, technical and maintenance, catering and housekeeping and other [42011/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
580. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on the medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary. [42012/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
581. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of consultant audiologists cover and audiology staff at Crumlin Children's Hospital, Dublin; the average waiting time at Crumlin Children's Hospital for an audiology appointment; the longest and shortest time for same for the months August 2011 and August 2012; the efforts he is making to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42013/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
582. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds, in St Mary's Nursing Unit, Castleblayney, County Monaghan; the number of such beds in 2009, 2010 and 2011; if he will confirm that it is proposed to retain this respite facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42016/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
583. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the location at which food is prepared and cooked for Monaghan General Hospital, St Mary's Nursing Unit, Castleblayney and St Davnet's, Monaghan; if he is satisfied that such arrangements for catering for these health facilities is appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42017/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
584. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will verify that officials were informed that only life saving resources should be allocated until years end as part of the long term illness scheme; that items such as AFOs and communication apps will no longer be funded in 2013; the number of AFOs funded in the past two months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42018/12]
View answerI am not aware of the issue raised by the Deputy. However, I have asked the HSE to investigate the matter and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.
585. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card application now under appeal will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42049/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
586. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a placement will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42050/12]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy
587. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their application for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42066/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
588. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will list all the current positions, where the appointment was made by his Department held by retired senior civil servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42668/12]
View answerThe information requested is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
589. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport his views on the level of noise pollution that residents of Dublin 9 have to endure due to low flying aircraft even after 11 p.m. in the night. [41993/12]
View answer613. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the lowest altitude at which an aircraft may fly over a residential area of Dublin; and if he is satisfied with the level of disruption being caused to the residents of Dublin 9. [41994/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 613 together.
I have asked the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), which is under the aegis of my Department, to liaise directly with the Deputy. The IAA is the Competent Authority in Ireland with the responsibility, inter alia, of ensuring that airport authorities adopt a balanced approach in dealing with noise-related matters at airports by reference to EU legislative provisions. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my private office.
590. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the position regarding funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41274/12]
View answerThe Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the allocation of current funding to sports organisations. The ISC channels funding through the relevant National Governing Bodies of Sport. In the case of sailing, the funding is provided to the Irish Sailing Association. The Irish Sports Council has no mechanism by which funding can be provided to individual clubs outside of this process.
Unfortunately, I have no discretionary funding available to me through which sponsorship could be provided and I regret that I am unable to assist the organisation mentioned by the Deputy. I would suggest that the team approach the Irish Sailing Association in this matter.
I would like to wish the team every success in the competition.
591. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made on extending the powers of An Garda Síochána to issue fixed charge penalties on taxis and to work with the National Transport Authority for greater on-street enforcement and on off-street enforcement as recommended in the report on the future of the taxi industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41277/12]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003, and is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011.
Among the proposals of the Taxi Regulation Review concerning enforcement, Action 24 deals with strengthened collaboration between An Garda Siochana and the NTA. Action 21 proposes a range of SPSV fixed charge penalties, which are currently administered by the NTA enforcement officers, will be extended to the Garda Síochána.
Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010 provides for amendments to the fixed charge penalty system and is intrinsically linked to Part 5 of that Act which in turn provides for changes to the penalty points system. Both parts will be commenced simultaneously when the necessary administrative and technical issues have been addressed by the Garda Síochána and the Courts Service.
Amendments to Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 will be provided for in the proposed Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 which I hope to publish shortly.
592. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport when a real time passenger information display signs for Dublin Bus will be installed on the Ringsend Road between South Lotts Rd and Barrow St, and when one will be installed in Ringsend village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41278/12]
View answerMatters relating to the Real Time Passenger Information Project fall within the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA) which following its establishment on 1st December 2009 became responsible for the implementation of transport infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area.
I have therefore referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
593. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the measures he is planning to help taxi drivers who have a car older than three years but at present cannot afford to buy a less than three year old car in advance of the ending of transferability of licences in January and will then lose what was a family business such as a person (details supplied). [41292/12]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) is the lead agency with responsibility for the implementation of the recommended actions contained in the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011 and makes reports quarterly on implementation to the Taxi Advisory Committee.
Under current regulations, when the ownership of a licence is transferred to another person, it must be associated with a vehicle that is less than three years old at the date of transfer. This condition which promotes the use of newer vehicles in the taxi industry has been in place since the 8th June 2010 and continues to apply to licence transfers in 2012.
Action 14 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report recommended that taxi licences will no longer be allowed to be transferred or sold to another individual. The NTA, as part of wider implementation planning, has confirmed that the current process for transferring an SPSV licence from one party to another will cease at the end of 2012. After that date, all taxi licences, subject to very limited exceptions, will be unique to the person to whom the licence has been issued and cannot be transferred or sold to another individual.
594. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will instruct the National Transport Authority to provide a subsidy for the No. 2 Bus Éireann route which under proposed changes will no longer serve St. Vincent's Hospital, curtailing access to healthcare for the people of Arklow, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41333/12]
View answerThe provision of bus services and the routes they take are operational matters for Bus Eireann in conjunction with the National Transport Authority.
The Wexford/Dublin Expressway service, as with all Expressway services, does not receive a subsidy either directly or indirectly. I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
595. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if State owned port authorities receive grant assistance from Fáilte Ireland or any other public source, for the purpose of marketing their port as a destination for cruise liners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41334/12]
View answerA number of our State commercial port companies including Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, Cork, Shannon Foynes and Waterford are members of the Cruise Ireland marketing co-operative, which works to promote the island of Ireland as a premier cruise destination. Fáilte Ireland has provided funding to the Cruise Ireland marketing co-operative to aid their continuing work in promoting this important sector of the tourism market, and I have referred the Deputy's Question to that agency for a more detailed response. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
I understand also that port authorities do not receive funding from any other public source for the purpose of marketing their ports as cruise liner destinations.
596. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will provide the most up to date licence for Weston Aerodrome, Lucan, Dublin, from the Irish Aviation Authority; and if he will forward a copy to this Deputy. [41335/12]
View answerThe Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has responsibility for the licensing of aerodromes in Ireland so I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.
