Parliamentary questions

Alternative Energy Projects

Maureen O'Sullivan

3. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the European Commission's proposal to limit the use of crop based biofuels in transport by 2020 to 5%; if he will include this issue on the agenda of the upcoming Hunger Summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15510/13]

Gambling Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

248. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the methods that will be used to identify and protect minors in relation to gambling issues; the number of Gardai inspections that have taken place since the establishment of the casino gaming controls section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15463/13]

Teachers' Remuneration

Maureen O'Sullivan

261. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in spite of written confirmation that a person (details supplied) will be paid on the old scale and will not be considered a new entrant, the person was told by his Department on a 25 January 2013, 0008/2013, circular that they will be paid as a new entrant; if he will confirm that the person is in fact to be paid on the old scale; the action he will take regarding newly qualified teachers in equally ambiguous situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15087/13]

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

349. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to meet the relatives of the leaders and insurgents of the Easter Rising 1916. [14811/13]

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

352. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will forward the Frank Myles Battlefield Report and the National Museum Report and Recommendations on Moore Street to the Save Moore Street group of relatives of the 1916 leaders and insurgents as promised at a 2012 meeting with the group. [14629/13]

Garda Resources

Maureen O'Sullivan

406. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the conditions of the Garda Terrace in Phoenix Park, Dublin; if he is currently responding to residents' requests to be re-housed due to the continuing degradation of conditions with the accommodation; if he is treating this with the utmost urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15085/13]

Prison Accommodation

Maureen O'Sullivan

412. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of cells in each institution here; the number that accommodate two, three, four or more prisoners; the current levels of overcrowding within each prison with reference to the safe levels of custody on each prison as identified by the Inspector of Prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14687/13]

Prisoner Numbers

Maureen O'Sullivan

413. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners in total and in each institution that are at present in custody; the number required to slop out; the number required to use normal toilet facilities in the presence of others; the number that are sole occupants of a cell that has a normal flush toilet installed or have access at all times to normal private toilet facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14688/13]

Homeless Persons Supports

Maureen O'Sullivan

536. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the residential accommodation and services provided by the Health Service Executive in Dublin 1 and Dublin 7; the staffing levels; the type of accommodation and services; the numbers availing of the accommodation and service; and if there are similar statistics available for other areas in Dublin. [14861/13]

Animal Experimentation

Maureen O'Sullivan

566. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 636 of 12 March 2013, which does not include a reference to any specific enforcement activities undertaken by the Irish Medicines Board or his Department to ensure compliance with the EU marketing ban on animal tested cosmetics, the number of cosmetic products that have been surveyed by the IMB in conjunction with Environmental Health Services to ensure their compliance with cosmetics regulations, in particular the prohibitions on the marketing of animal tested cosmetics in regulation 9 of S.I. No. 870 of 2004, since 11 March 2009; the number of reports of EU cosmetics surveillance programmes that have been brought to the Government or IMBs attention since 11 March 2009; the number of cosmetics products to which they refer; if he will describe the detailed protocol for any active surveillance programmes to be performed by the IMB or in conjunction with other agencies to ensure compliance with the full marketing ban on animal tested cosmetics that came into force on 11 March 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15084/13]

Banking Sector Remuneration

Maureen O'Sullivan

88. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the reason he intends targeting rank-and-file bank workers' pay and not senior management with disproportionately high salaries and in receipt of bonuses; the way he justifies the workers' cuts if the Mercer report suggests these cuts would only yield savings of €70 million across all three remaining State-supported institutions while AIB reports a €1.2 billion loss for the first half of 2012, Permanent TSB reporting a loss of €500 million for the first half of 2012, and Bank of Ireland reporting preliminary annual losses for 2012 of €1.8 billion; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cuts would have little effect on profitability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14555/13]

Property Taxation Application

Maureen O'Sullivan

99. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider Mandate's call for a deferral of the property tax in order to protect the retail industry, protect homeowners in distress, and consumer spending; if he will consider introducing alternative revenue raising measures that will be less damaging to the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14581/13]

Departmental Properties

Maureen O'Sullivan

126. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the terms of a lease held at public expense on a premises associated very closely with the 1916 Rising, Carrisbrook House, Ballsbridge, Dublin; his views on whether there is any possible link between the deal obtained by the developers of this property from AnCO and the Department of Industry and Commerce in 1969 and the activities of an organisation, Taca; if he will publish a schedule of all leases entered into by public bodies statutory agencies under the aegis of his Department between 1963 and 1973 where such leases remain in force today; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14559/13]

Social Welfare Appeals Status

Maureen O'Sullivan

142. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7. [14553/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

173. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will engage further with the authorities in Burma on the abuse of human rights of the Rohingya people who are deprived of basic civil entitlements like the right to education, land ownership and so on, now facing the triple threat of disease, starvation and violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14217/13]

Flexible Work Practices

Maureen O'Sullivan

277. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to abolish flexible working conditions for public servants as proposed in the draft public service agreement; the way the abolition of such flexibility will result in cost savings for the State; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this will affect female participation in the public sector work force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14141/13]

Universal Social Charge

Maureen O'Sullivan

53. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance in view of the fact that the universal social charge was introduced in budget 2011 to replace the income levy and health levy, the reason for both these levies and if this reason or purpose changed with the amalgamation and change of name in budget 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13227/13]

Clár Tógála Scoileanna

Maureen O'Sullivan

75. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cé mhéad bunscoil agus iar-bhunscoil atá i gcóiríocht shealadach agus cén céatadán díobh siúd ar scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge iad; cé hiad na scoileanna atá ag fanacht ar chóiríocht bhuan agus cé chomh fada is atá na scoileanna sin ag fanacht ar chóiríocht bhuan [13222/13]

Lease Agreements

Maureen O'Sullivan

91. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the terms of a lease held at public expense on a premises associated very closely with the 1916 Rising, Carrisbrook House, Ballsbridge; his views on whether there is any possible link between the deal obtained by the developers of this property from ANCO and the Department of Industry and Commerce in 1969 and the activities of an organisation, Taca; if he will publish a schedule of all leases entered into by public bodies, statutory agencies and the like between 1963 and 1973, where such leases remain in force today; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13230/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility

Maureen O'Sullivan

103. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will list the detailed benefits that accrue from the payments of pay related social insurance in view of the fact that persons paying these may pay a significant sum for attendance at accident and emergency, pay inpatient hospital charges and no longer have optical or dental benefit under the schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13228/13]

Hospital Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

196. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will address the current situation regarding the unopened epilepsy unit in Cork University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, due to the Health Service Executive's recruitment moratorium; the action he will take to address the fact that neither the original two beds or any of the four new monitoring beds are available to epilepsy patients and thus no functioning beds currently exist in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13194/13]

Universal Health Insurance

Maureen O'Sullivan

203. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that, subject to eligibility and relevant charges, all persons in the State qualify for access to public health system currently, the way this might change with the introduction of the universal health insurance; if such a system would mean an up-front payment by all persons for health services that they may not use in a given year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13223/13]

Universal Health Insurance

Maureen O'Sullivan

204. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that universal health insurance payments will provide for equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, if health insurance providers will still be able to sell add-ons above the standard package; if so, the way he would see this as a change to a one tier system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13224/13]

Universal Health Insurance

Maureen O'Sullivan

205. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that the large number of persons that have ceased paying health insurance premia in recent years due to affordability issues, the way he envisages making universal health insurance an affordable option for people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13225/13]

Universal Health Insurance

Maureen O'Sullivan

206. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his views on the possibility that under a universal health insurance system different providers may have relationships with different acute services and insured persons may find themselves in a situation where the services nearest to them or best equipped to serve their needs may not be covered by their insurer's standard plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13226/13]

Departmental Schemes

Maureen O'Sullivan

207. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the findings that his Department's nursing home charges, mobility allowance and motorised transport grant schemes were not soundly based in law, if he will initiate an audit and report on whether the remaining schemes and services provided by his Department are soundly based in law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13229/13]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Maureen O'Sullivan

336. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who has been a community employment supervisor is eligible to apply for CE. [12826/13]

Community and Employment Schemes

Maureen O'Sullivan

337. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person secures a three to six month community employment supervisor contract will that preclude them from applying for a Tús supervisor's position for the following 18 months. [12827/13]

Community and Employment Schemes

Maureen O'Sullivan

338. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the eligibility criteria for the position of Tús supervisor, in the event of the two schemes, Tús and Fás, being linked and if she will outline the eligibility criteria in that situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12828/13]

Departmental Advertising Campaigns

Maureen O'Sullivan

365. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will explain the miswording on the advertisement in relation to submissions for the environmental impact statement on Moore Street, Dublin, the lack of clarity on the proposed demolition; if the veracity of the study is now compromised; if he will ensure that the next advertisement is advertised nationally with the EIS available online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12804/13]

Citizenship Applications

Maureen O'Sullivan

474. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attenttion has been drawn to the fact that the visa office is currently experiencing an upsurge in applications for Join Irish Citizen in the past six months and are dealing with the applications in chronological order; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that for many families this delay is causing difficulties and uncertainty; if he has provided additional staff to deal with this upsurge; the number of applications currently waiting to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12721/13]

Departmental Legal Costs

Maureen O'Sullivan

479. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money spent by his Department on appeals to High Court decisions in Hamzq, Hassan and Sulaimon; further, with reference to Mr. Justice Hardiman's statement in his decision in Sulaimon that it is dispiriting to see State litigation conducted in this way at public expense, the cost benefit analysis procedures that are in place in his Department to determine whether to appeal a High Court decision. [12805/13]

Health Services Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

615. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of current valid general practitioner visit cards and current valid medical cards today or latest available date and for preceding years of 2009, 2010, and 2011 for the Dublin Central area by DED, access to basic health care is a right and with the increase numbers of persons reported to be giving up health insurance the progress to date on plans for introduction of universal health insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12653/13]

Animal Experimentation

Maureen O'Sullivan

636. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms and procedures his Department and or the IMB have in place to ensure enforcement of Regulation 9 of SI. No. 870 of 2004 (European Communities (Cosmetic Products) Regulations 2004) which prohibits the sale of all animal-tested cosmetics here and in the rest of the EU from 11 March 2013. [12847/13]

Parking Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

648. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the amount in revenue his Department received from the nationwide controlled parking systems parking fees on the hospital grounds of the Mater Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, James Connolly Memorial Hospital and St. James's Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12934/13]

Local Government Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

68. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the percentage of the proposed property tax that will revert to the local authority; the criteria that will be used in assessing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12089/13]

Child Benefit Payments

Maureen O'Sullivan

117. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families that have voluntarily given up their child benefit payment either for financial or other reasons. [12088/13]

Wildlife Protection

Maureen O'Sullivan

137. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the recent incident of a deer hunted by the Ward Union Hunt, based in Dunshaughlin, County Meath, into the River Boyne, during a search and recovery operation for a body, and previous incidents of deer hunted, which the Ward Union claim are accidental, if he will put a monitoring system in place to ensure that the Ward Union are obeying the 2010 Wildlife Amendment Act in order to reduce accidental hunting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12110/13]

Local Authority Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

163. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the criteria used in assessing the allocation of funding to the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12097/13]

Universal Social Charge Payments

Maureen O'Sullivan

82. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will list detailed benefits that accrue from the payments of pay related social insurance and universal social charge in view of the fact that persons paying these may pay a significant sum for attendance at accident and emergency, pay in-patient hospital charges, and no longer have optical or dental benefit under the schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11945/13]

Tax and Social Welfare Codes

Maureen O'Sullivan

83. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance in relation to a couple who have been told they have to pay back tax on the Department of Social Protection's old age pension due to the fact that they are in receipt of occupational pensions, if the Revenue Commission pursue back tax on individual incomes of €50,000 or on the gross combination of a couple earning €50,000 or more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11947/13]

Local Authority Housing Applications

Maureen O'Sullivan

154. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities may refuse to accept applications for inclusion on local authority housing lists and if so if he will outline the criteria used to refuse an applicant. [11948/13]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

223. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the universal health insurance will take into account that persons already pay the pay related social insurance and the universal social charge; if the UHI will result in a reduction in PRSI and USC rates overall or will it be an additional charge for persons on top of PRSI and the USC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11946/13]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

258. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has had discussions with the Department of Finance in relation to the proposed universal health insurance and if this charge will take into account that persons already pay the pay related social insurance and the universal social charge; if the UHI will result in a reduction in PRSI and USC rates overall or will there be an additional charge for persons on top of PRSI and the USC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11944/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Maureen O'Sullivan

132. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the decision of the Syrian opposition coalition to boycott international meetings due to of lack of effective action by the international community; if he will address this matter when he meets Syrian national coalition president Mr Khatib; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11032/13]

Wildlife Protection

Maureen O'Sullivan

317. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in relation to the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2010, his response to the reported incident of a deer hunted by the Ward Union Hunt near Dunshaughlin, County Meath into the River Boyne; if he recognises the need for greater monitoring of the Ward Union Hunt activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11317/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

Maureen O'Sullivan

329. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details of wind energy grid connection contracts awarded by his Department from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11534/13]

Gambling Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

374. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans, if any, to legislate for the issue of underage persons engaging in online/remote gambling; legislative proposals he has in relation to regulating the gambling industry such as introducing water-shed times for television advertising and advertising restrictions that are currently used in the tobacco and alcohol sector to protect those underage from engaging in unhealthy gambling activity; if his attention has been drawn to certain populations being specifically targeted by advertising campaigns used by the gambling industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11075/13]

Gambling Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

375. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to bring forward legislative measures to deal with the level of exposure children and young adults have to horse racing promotion; his plans to address this to bring horse racing promotion regulation in line with that of alcohol and tobacco regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11076/13]

Health Screening Programmes

Maureen O'Sullivan

577. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 14 February 2013, if he will confirm the Department in the Health Service Executive, and which person in the HSE, with whom he will discuss the public health matter of microvascular angina/cardiac syndrome X in an effort to bring this medical issue on the HSE agenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11535/13]