Parliamentary questions

Children in Care

Maureen O'Sullivan

19. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent of the reduction in working hours of child care staff in residential care homes due to cuts in funding. [38728/13]

Tax Exemptions

Maureen O'Sullivan

61. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the reason tax exemption continues to be granted to fox/hare hunting groups and shooting clubs; the way they are classified under section 235 of the Taxes and Consolidation Act 1997 as bodies established for promotion of athletic or amateur games or sports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39031/13]

Public Sector Pensions Levy

Maureen O'Sullivan

78. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the pension related deduction attributed to public servants since March 2009 as an emergency financial measure, his plans in the future to cease deductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39032/13]

Deportation Orders Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

129. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that have been deported from Ireland to the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the years from 2010 to date in 2013; the reason ten deportations from Ireland to DRC took place in June, 2013; if more deportations to DRC are likely to take place in 2013-2014; if any follow-up has taken place to ascertain the well-being and safety of the deportees since their deportations from Ireland to DRC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38859/13]

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

38. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the category and status of the national monument at 17 to 21 Moore Street, Dublin 1, on the Office of Public Works listing of national monuments; and the responsibility and role of his Department in this matter. [27977/13]

Pensions Levy

Maureen O'Sullivan

148. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) pays more in PRD tax than on their superannuation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36908/13]

Invasive Species

Maureen O'Sullivan

734. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps being taken by Waterways Ireland to control the spread of Japanese knotweed, Fallopia Japonica, along the Royal Canal, especially in the area around the 6th lock at Phibsborough where it seems to have been introduced as a result of recent re-lining work carried out by Waterways Ireland; if demarcation issues between Waterways Ireland and Córas Iompar Éireann have had the effect in that area of undermining the designation of the lands between the railbed and the Royal Canal as a special area of conservation, allowing the Japanese knotweed, one of the most invasive species known to horticulture, to thrive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36997/13]

Proposed Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

974. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce legislation which will prevent landlords refusing tenants on the basis that they are in receipt of rent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38799/13]

Rail Network

Maureen O'Sullivan

1601. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps being taken by Córas Iompar Éireann to control the spread of Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, along the railbed system, particularly in Phibsborough where is seems to have become established by the railbed further to recent canal re-lining works undertaken by Waterways Ireland; whether demarcation issues between Córas Iompar Éireann and Waterways Ireland have the effect in that area of undermining the designation of the lands between the railbed and the Royal Canal as a Special Area of Conservation, allowing the Japanese knotweed, one of the most invasive species known to horticulture, to thrive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36998/13]

Drugs in Prisons

Maureen O'Sullivan

544. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the institutions that operate drug free units; the number of spaces in each drug free unit; the number of prisoners in each drug free unit; the number of vacancies in each drug free unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36292/13]

Prisoner Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

545. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners currently on protection in each institution; the number on protection in each institution on this day last month; the number on protection in each institution on this day the month before last and so on for a period of six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36293/13]

Bioenergy Strategy Publication

Maureen O'Sullivan

45. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding the progress of the national bioenergy strategy, the way his Department is integrating its efforts in preparing this strategy with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; if he will describe the level of consultations between the Departments and the issues being discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27976/13]

Trade Missions Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

47. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 67 on what basis he mentioned a figure of 50,000 being employed by Irish companies in Africa at the recent AWEPA conference in The Royal Hospital Kilmainham which then became 13,000 in South Africa, over 15,000 in West Africa and if he will detail which companies are active in which African countries. [35583/13]

Overseas Development Aid Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

148. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a cost benefit analysis of Ireland's membership of the Asian Development Bank has been carried out in view of the fact that the new development policy is facilitating membership of the African Development Bank; the amount our membership has cost since 2006; the impacts Ireland's membership has had on poverty eradication; the way his Department measure the efficacy and relevance of our membership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34500/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

173. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if missions to Burma are being refused entry to Rohingya IDP camp; how they can address the human rights issues of the Rohingya persons; if he will outline what Ireland has been doing at UN level on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35489/13]

Tax Yield

Maureen O'Sullivan

301. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the amount of corporation tax separately on trading income and on non-trading income that has been paid to the Exchequer by all manufacturers of prescription pain killer tablets in each of the past five years and the percentage of overall corporation tax paid by those manufacturers in each of the past five years. [35490/13]

Education and Training Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

381. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 10 July 2013, if he will outline the specific education and training supports to lone parents and the unemployed and the nature of referrals from the Department of Social Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35488/13]

Water Services Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

763. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the aggregate known cost, or estimated cost, to public funds of providing the public water supply in each of the years 2012, 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34494/13]

Irish Water Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

764. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the estimated revenue of Irish Water in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34495/13]

Planning Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

765. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a register of planning permissions granted and completed since 1963; his views on whether there would be value in compiling such a register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34496/13]

Drugs Crime

Maureen O'Sullivan

930. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has been in contact with his counterparts in Europe, particularly the Netherlands, on the use of a number of websites which provide graphic details on ecstasy in view of the recent deaths from use of ecstasy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35486/13]

Garda Disciplinary Proceedings

Maureen O'Sullivan

931. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the circumstances in which a young undercover garda was disciplined and returned to uniformed duties in spite of the fact their work had led to the discovery of a significant drugs haul; if he acknowledges this action has undermined morale among drugs squad and community gardaí in the city and if he is committed to the work of the drugs squad. [35487/13]

Nursing Home Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

1132. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider implementing a more transparent framework for negotiations under the fair deal which acknowledges the costs of providing high-quality care and the need to support investment to meet the significant increase in demand for long-term residential care; if he will address the disconnect between the Health Information Quality Authority and the National Treatment Purchase Fund in order that the NTPF will take into consideration the private and voluntary nursing homes' statutory responsibility under the national quality standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35368/13]

Proposed Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

1141. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if on his visit to China he discussed the issue of forced organ harvesting practised against practitioners of Falun Gong in China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35461/13]

Sentencing Policy

Maureen O'Sullivan

177. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners that have applied for enhanced remission since its introduction; the number of prisoners whose applications have been refused; the number of prisoners who have been granted enhanced remission; the way the Government intends to legislate for commitments made in the programme for Government regarding remission for violent and sexual offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34006/13]

Prisoner Releases

Maureen O'Sullivan

178. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners who have participated in community return schemes from each institution; the number of prisoners from each institution who have successfully completed community return schemes; the number of prisoners from each institution who failed to complete community return schemes and were returned to prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34007/13]

Prison Medical Service

Maureen O'Sullivan

179. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if standard audit tools to measure health care equivalence in the prison system have been developed; if these tools have been implemented and audits carried out; the results of these audits; if changes have been made to health care in line with audit recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34008/13]

Education and Training Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

131. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of fact that the north inner city of Dublin has the highest number of lone parents in certain areas and pockets of 60% unemployment, his Department's response to addressing their educational and training needs. [33427/13]

Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Projects

Maureen O'Sullivan

57. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the numbers availing of community employment drug rehabilitation schemes in the Dublin areas; if there is an increase or decrease from previous years; and if she will outline the progress that has been made in ensuring the sustainability and development of these programmes. [33426/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

130. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's recent denouncements as discrimination and violations of human rights, the recent proposals in Burma-Myanmar to restrict interfaith marriages and the restriction of Rohingya families to two children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33028/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

131. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he intends imposing trade restrictions on Irish-based parent companies engaging in business within or with Burma, while the recent UN reports and recommendations of unsatisfactory conditions of internally displaced persons' camps, particularly those accommodating the Rohingya population, remain ignored and unanswered by the Burma-Myanmar Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33029/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

138. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will make representations to the Colombian authorities and raise the matter at the UN Human Rights Council in relation to the military response to the peaceful protest of small farmers in north-eastern Colombia which has resulted in the deaths of four persons to date and hundreds wounded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33428/13]

Companies Statistics

Maureen O'Sullivan

261. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of registered companies here in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32882/13]

Animal Welfare Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

458. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that world travelling circuses in Ireland are unable to provide adequately for the animals in their care, if he will consider backing a ban on the use of animals in Irish circuses in favour of a circus industry without animals, putting Ireland in line with dozens of countries around the world that have banned animal-act circuses, the most recent being Colombia and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33454/13]

National Drug-Related Deaths Index

Maureen O'Sullivan

480. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have died in the past three years from overdoses of non-prescription use of painkillers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32913/13]

National Drug-Related Deaths Index

Maureen O'Sullivan

481. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths that occurred in the past three years where benzodiazepines played a role; his Department's role in counteracting the multi-prescription of benzodiazepines with persons claiming one prescription on their medical cards and paying in cash for others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32914/13]

Primary Care Centres Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

513. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his plans for a primary care centre for Dublin's inner city in view of the fact that the site has been secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33141/13]

Taxi Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

577. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans in regards to taxi drivers currently using the prime location rank near the Gresham Hotel, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 who will not have the use of those ranks during forthcoming LUAS works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33455/13]

Youth Services Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

31. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the budget allocations to youth services in the Dublin area since taking office; if her attention has been drawn to the implications to youth services of reductions in funding and the effect future reductions will have on these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32358/13]

Deportation Orders Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

223. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in respect of the ten persons who were deported from Ireland to Kinshasa on 16 June, if he will detail the circumstances surrounding his decision to sanction the deportation of the persons in view of the fact that no deportations to the Congo have taken place since mid-2011; if he acknowledges that the risks and dangers facing the persons have not changed since 2011 and in some cases have even worsened; if he will suspend future deportations to the Congo taking into account the increasing instability of the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32857/13]

School Curriculum

Maureen O'Sullivan

3. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the serious concerns regarding the subject of history in the proposed reform of the junior certificate, if he will consider including history as a compulsory subject. [32343/13]

State Examinations Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

8. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the basis on which he decided teachers would correct the junior certificate examination work of their own students and schools would provide their own individual certification. [32005/13]

Tax Avoidance Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

104. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that non-governmental organisations and some Governments have called for the UN tax committee to be transformed into an intergovernmental body; if he supports the establishment of an intergovernmental body on tax matters under the auspices of the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31947/13]

Foreign Conflict Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

155. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support a letter of appeal to the UN, Navi Pillay, to ask the Syrian Government to release Mazen Darwish of the Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, noted for its humanitarian work and commitment to non-violence, who has been in prison for some 18 months at this stage. [31490/13]

Arms Trade

Maureen O'Sullivan

156. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that the current arms embargo is facilitating the Government side in the Syrian conflict and is depriving Government opponents their right to self-defence; the measures being taken to confront those supplying arms to the Syrian Government; and the way he feels this is facilitating a peaceful negotiated settlement to the conflict. [31491/13]

Humanitarian Aid

Maureen O'Sullivan

157. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of Irish Aid to the humanitarian situation in Syria and the camps where there are Syrian refugees; where specifically it is being directed; the points of entrance to Syria for this aid; and how confident he is that aid is getting to where it is most needed. [31492/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

165. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has made any representations to federal authorities in Bosnia in relation to the ongoing political stalemate regarding the issue of identity cards which has meant every child born since February is not legally recognised as existing under law; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such political stalemate has meant the death of a three month old child due to delay in treatment sought in Serbia but who could not travel without the relevant documents as the child was not recognisable under law; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that currently another child seeks treatment which is delayed due to the inability to retrieve a passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31736/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Maureen O'Sullivan

185. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will seek a report from the Chairman of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation identifying the number of instances in 2007 and 2008 where voluntary, non-profit organisations with deposits in Anglo Irish Bank converted those deposits into apparently higher-yielding shares; the typical number of bank-initiated contacts with such organisations in advance of deposits being moved into shares; the aggregate loss to the affected depositing shareholding organisations arising from Anglo’s campaign to effect the transfer of deposits made by such bodies into shares over the period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31617/13]

Mortgage Arrears Proposals

Maureen O'Sullivan

197. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance in view of the increasing magnitude of the mortgage crisis here and the Central Bank of Ireland's new Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears, if he has taken into consideration consumer protection advocates' comments on the changes as absolutely appalling, including the removal of the 12 month moratorium on legal action, reduction in protection of home owners from excessive contact from banks and the lack of independent appeal if a home owner cannot comply with lender requests; the way he will empower home owners in the resolution process in order to address the power imbalance between lender and home owner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31737/13]

Money Laundering

Maureen O'Sullivan

272. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider increasing the purchase limit of prize bonds from €25 to €100 before anti-money laundering requirements are applied in order to maintain a balance between the need for appropriate AML requirements and convenience for ordinary customers who wish to purchase prize bonds as gifts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32149/13]