Parliamentary questions

Health Services Provision

Alan Farrell

199. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on planned advances in diabetic paediatric services to widen the availability of insulin pumps for children under five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52092/12]

Health Services Provision

Alan Farrell

200. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the diabetes services that have been funded in the Health Service Executive National Service Plan and the services currently in place, particularly with reference to the number of footcare posts and a retinopathy screening programme [52093/12]

Tax Code

Alan Farrell

201. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health his views in relation to the proposed impact of a sugar tax on the food and drinks industry; its international success rate of reducing consumption of unhealthy foods; if he will consider the possibility of reducing VAT for some healthier foods in order to neutralise the impact of inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52098/12]

Public Procurement Tenders

Alan Farrell

41. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made through reform of the procurement services throughout the country; the method that has been applied and the savings that have been achieved in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51431/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Alan Farrell

47. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of days' annual leave that employees are permitted to carry over to a following year; the timescale in which they are required to be taken; if there is provision within the Croke Park agreement to impose a cap on the number of days allowed to be carried over; his views on the way a restriction on carried over days may improve services due to the elimination of prolonged annual leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51428/12]

Credit Availability

Alan Farrell

144. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the research his Department has regarding the current availability of student loans; the engagement his Department has undergone in relation to ensuring colleges offer a direct debit facility for student contribution fees or the plans he may have to follow this strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50882/12]

Teacher Recruitment

Alan Farrell

148. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline his Department's forecast in relation to the recruitment of teachers between now and 2016 when an extra 80,000 pupils will be in the system; when this recruitment will commence; if these posts will be of a permanent stature irrespective of the recruitment embargo; the effect this will have on public service reduction in the medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51214/12]

Budget 2013

Alan Farrell

180. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance his views on the possibility of reforming the budget process to take into account the impact that budget 2013 announcements have on the retail industry in the run up to the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51002/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Alan Farrell

238. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise on the tendering process for building the eight proposed new schools to be funded by the European Investment Bank Private Public Partnership; the conditions of eligibility that will apply; if the process will be open to developers in receipt of assistance through the National Assets Management Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51001/12]

Jobseeker's Allowance Payments

Alan Farrell

354. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who have been identified as participating in full-time study while incorrectly claiming jobseeker's payments in 2011 and 2012; the number of these persons who continued to claim these benefits by proving that they have ceased their education in order to continue to receive their benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50998/12]

Social Welfare Appeals Delays

Alan Farrell

355. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a review process for persons that are initially refused social welfare payments based on the same information on which they win their appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50999/12]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Alan Farrell

437. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of empty housing units in Dublin in which the development is under the remit of the National Assets Management Agency; the number of housing units required by Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; his views on the viability of using State owned properties that are under the remit of NAMA as accommodation for these families and persons as an alternative to sourcing extra funding for new properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51003/12]

House Purchase Schemes

Alan Farrell

438. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on his proposal to offer families in social housing an incentive to buy their properties, while at the same time introducing a mortgage to rent scheme which will in turn bring private properties owned by a person and the bank to within the remit of his Department and social housing organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51004/12]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Alan Farrell

439. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost to local authorities of continuous maintenance of local authority housing in 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51005/12]

Property Taxation Application

Alan Farrell

440. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his Departments role from 2013 onwards in administering and managing funds for local authorities once a local government tax is introduced; if details of the expenditure will be available to public representatives through Dáil questions; if overall accountability will be held by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51006/12]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Alan Farrell

583. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health his views on the establishment of independent hospital trusts under the universal health insurance system particularly in relation to the agreement of funding and staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50996/12]

HSE Savings

Alan Farrell

584. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive tendering process for payroll services will be offered only to Irish service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50997/12]

Mortgage Interest Relief Extension

Alan Farrell

46. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the benefits to extending the current rate of mortgage interest relief for first-time buyers; the projected cost of extending the scheme to the Exchequer, and his rationale for the possible cessation of the scheme in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50254/12]

Tax Code

Alan Farrell

51. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the projected implications of introducing a higher rate of tax on income earners over €100,000 on industry and competitiveness here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50253/12]

Pension Levy

Alan Farrell

86. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance his views on the possibility of imposing a levy or tax on the pension sums of more than €100,000 administered to former employees of banks only covered by the State guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50319/12]