Parliamentary questions

Property Taxation Application

Richard Boyd Barrett

146. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the fact that local authorities will be liable for property tax with regards to their housing stock, the way he intends local authorities should deal with this; if he will be or has already issued any communication to local authorities in this regard; and his views on whether council tenants should be asked to pay for this. [5482/13]

Commercial Rates Calculations

Richard Boyd Barrett

165. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in the interests of the economic difficulties that small retail businesses in town centres are experiencing, he will consider bringing forward legislation that will allow for local authorities to implement a differential rates system that would see retailers being billed according to their turnover and their ability to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5480/13]

Government-Church Dialogue

Richard Boyd Barrett

569. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has met voluntary and community organisations recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54228/12]

Fire Safety

Richard Boyd Barrett

578. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Fingal County Council commissioned report on the 2007 fire at Ayrside, Swords, County Dublin, in timber framed apartments where inadequate and or deficient fire and smoke barriers allowed smoke to travel throughout a block of apartments; and his further views on the implications for fire safety compliance and public safety. [5564/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

888. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 18 October 2012, the person that authorised the payment of €19,877 to the Chief Executive Officer of DunLaoghaire Harbour Company in lieu of untaken leave or holidays; if it is within current legislation to allow payment in lieu of untaken leave; and if the sum of €19,877 is equivalent to 36 days leave in the case of the Chief Executive Officer in question [5488/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

889. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 18 October 2012, and the €20,000 payment of a car allowance to the Chief Executive Officer of the DunLaoghaire Harbour Company, he will explain the reason this €20,000 payment shows up in the company accounts as other when for previous Chief Executive Officers it showed up as benefit in kind [5489/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

890. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with regard to the overpayment made to a board member (details supplied) of the harbour company, if the moneys have been returned; the amount that was returned; and the method used for its return [5490/13]

Harbour Authorities Membership

Richard Boyd Barrett

891. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of all the directors of the DunLaoghaire Harbour Company from 1997 to date in 2013; the timeframe for which each director served; and the remuneration of each board member, each year in director's fees and expenses [5491/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

892. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm the full cost of the current Chief Executive Officer of DunLaoghaire Harbour Company's salary to the Exchequer including basic salary, employers PRSI pension contributions, director's fees and expenses for 2010, 2011 and 2012 [5492/13]

Harbour Authority Properties

Richard Boyd Barrett

893. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the harbour lodge in Dun Laoghaire was used for a private function on 27 January; the nature of this private function; and if any fee was paid for the use of the lodge [5493/13]

Harbour Authorities Expenditure

Richard Boyd Barrett

894. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total turnover of DunLaoghaire Harbour Company; the percentage of this spent on payroll costs including employers' PRSI and pension contributions; and the percentage of payroll costs which go to the Chief Executive Office, the Financial Controller/Secretary, the Operations Manager and the Harbour Master [5494/13]

Petroleum and Gas Exploration

Richard Boyd Barrett

47. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the implementation of recommendations in the Report on Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration here in relation to the licensing and tax terms for oil and gas exploration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4598/13]

Exploration Licences Approvals

Richard Boyd Barrett

133. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will give a commitment that no licences for on-shore unconventional shale gas exploration will be granted at least until the new Environmental Protection Agency report on the Environmental Impacts of Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction is completed and considered. [5059/13]

Special Areas of Conservation Designation

Richard Boyd Barrett

27. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to his announcement last December of his intention to designate the area around Rockabill to Dalkey Island as a special area of conservation, if he has discussed the implications of this with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of their recent granting of foreshore and exploration licences to a company (details supplied) to drill an oil well just 6 km from Dublin coastline. [4407/13]

Local Government Audit Service Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

136. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of the person who audits the accounts of local authorities; the reason that the Comptroller and Auditor General does not audit the accounts of local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4647/13]

Employment Support Services

Richard Boyd Barrett

158. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is planning to bring in a JobBridge-type scheme to take thousands of unemployed persons into local authorities on internships; her views on this type of scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3916/13]

Job Losses

Richard Boyd Barrett

419. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the situation workers in the meat industry find themselves in where factories have had to close for indefinite duration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3366/13]

Child Benefit Rates

Richard Boyd Barrett

420. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the cuts to child benefit, her views on the claim by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul that those who depend on social welfare supports must be protected from further cutbacks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56765/12]

Employment Rights Issues

Richard Boyd Barrett

54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to deal with situations in which companies go into liquidation and workers, such as those in a company (details supplied) are left without wages or redundancy payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3310/13]

Invalidity Pension Application Numbers

Richard Boyd Barrett

138. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of numbers of persons who applied for invalidity pension; the numbers of those who were refused and those who were granted in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; of those who were refused, the numbers who appealed the decision and the numbers who were successful and unsuccessful in those appeals. [3166/13]