Wednesday, 24 Apr 2013

Written Answers Nos. 271 - 279

Departmental Oversight Committees

Questions (271)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

271. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 17 April 2013, if he will detail the full composition of the oversight committee he established to construct abortion legislation; the exact membership of that committee; the chair of the committee; the dates of the meetings of the committee which have taken place; the names of those present at each of those meetings; the number of further meetings envisaged by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19482/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The composition of the Oversight Committee is as follows: Minister for Health – Dr James Reilly; Minister of State at the Department of Health – Mr. Alex White; Minister of State at the Department of Health – Ms. Kathleen Lynch; Secretary General – Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin; Chief Medical Officer – Dr. Tony Holohan; Social Inclusion Unit PO – Ms. Geraldine Luddy. The purpose of this Committee is:

- To establish and maintain a clear mechanism for internal communications between the Social Inclusion Unit, senior management in the Department and the Ministers in the Department of Health.

- To ensure that the Ministers in the Department of Health are regularly updated on the progress achieved in the drafting of the legislation.

Five meetings of this Committee have taken place to date, on 24th and 29th January and 31st January, and 5th and 19th February. Myself, Minister of State White, Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin, Dr. Tony Holohan, and Ms. Geraldine Luddy attended all the meetings. Minister of State Lynch attended the meetings of 29th January, and 5th and 19th February. Ministerial advisers also attended these meetings from time to time. No date has yet been set for future meetings of this Committee.

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Questions (272)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

272. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason there was no consultant in emergency medicine on duty at the Mercy University Hospital Cork on 22 March 2013; the reason the Mercy University Hospital Cork came off call, which resulted in an increased volume of emergencies for the accident and emergency department at Cork University Hospital; the criteria used for taking the Mercy University Hospital off call; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19485/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Sports Funding

Questions (273)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

273. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a grant to a sports club (details supplied) in County Meath. [19472/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Michael Ring)

Clubs in non-disadvantaged areas were required to have 15% in available own funding toward the total cost of the project. The club referred to by the Deputy stated in their application that they had only 12.5% own funding available for the project. In addition, the club did not have title to the property at the time of application.  The club were informed of these reasons by letter of 17 December 2012.

Harbour Authorities Appointments

Questions (274)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

274. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with regards to the new Commercial Executive Officer that has been appointed to Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, the place in which the details of the job were advertised; the selection process; and the amount the new officer is being paid. [19203/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Recruitment of staff is an operational matter for Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and the company alone is responsible for the advertising and selection process. I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten working days.

Harbour Authorities Staff

Questions (275)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

275. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the persons, if any, employed within his Department or within the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company to work on the Diaspora Centre project; the selection process for the job; and the salary details. [19204/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

No persons are employed within my Department to work on the Diaspora Centre project. The assignment of staff within Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company is an operational matter for the company and one in which I have no function. I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten working days.

Road Safety

Questions (276)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

276. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the guidelines for the placing of mobile speed cameras. [19205/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The issues raised are a matter for the Department of Justice and Equality.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (277)

Seán Fleming

Question:

277. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if any of her Department’s 2012 capital expenditure allocation was used for current expenditure purposes last year, the amount used for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19222/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

On 24 July, 2012, the Government decided to provide additional Public Service Obligations (PSO) funding of €36 million to CIE.  Funding for such services is made available through my Department's Vote 31, by way of a payment to the National Transport Authority ( NTA). This was funded in part by a reallocation of funding of €30.8m from the capital expenditure programme to current expenditure.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (278)

Seán Fleming

Question:

278. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the month by month profile for his Department's 2013 capital expendiuture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19238/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

The expected monthly spending profiles for this year's allocation are set out in the table below. The expected monthly spending profiles for this year's allocation are set out in the table below.

Jan 000	Feb 000	Mar 000	Apr 000	May 000	June 000	July 000	Aug 000	Sept 000	Oct 000	Nov 000	Dec 000	Total 000
14,219	20,012	30,974	57,934	59,850	69,729	72,206	78,774	92,489	83,994	107,920	211,899	900,000

Postal Services

Questions (279)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

279. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify aviation rules that make the sending of sealed electronic equipment phones, games consoles and so on illegal to send for repair in Britain via An Post and thus through air freight; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these same items can be bought online and are shipped into the country via air freight on a daily basis, and that those who wish to avail of a guarantee from the makers (details supplied) cannot interfere with the device or risk losing the warranty and that they demand that they be sent to their repair companies more often than not in Britain; if this restriction is on all air freight operators; the reason when a postee unaware of the restrictions sends such an item, that the package is destroyed instead of being returned to them. [19308/13]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Civil aviation security in Ireland is governed by Regulations (EC) Nos. 300/2008 and 185/2010 which have been adopted into Ireland's National Civil Aviation Security Programme. The Annex to Regulation (EC) No. 185/2010 contains a list of items that are prohibited from being carried in the hold of an aircraft. Under EU and national aviation security provisions, there is no prohibition on the carriage of any of the above-mentioned items.