Parliamentary questions

National Carers Strategy

Terence Flanagan

108. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is considering any other options to support carers who are experiencing difficulties as a result of cuts to the respite care grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19588/13]

National Carers Strategy

Terence Flanagan

110. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has concerns that recent cuts to family carers will prevent persons from being cared for and growing old in their own homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19609/13]

Coroners Service

Terence Flanagan

153. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of fees paid to experts in an inquest (details supplied) listing the names of the experts, their qualifications and the amount being paid to them to date; the amount that is expected to be paid to them in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19557/13]

Offences Against the State Act

Terence Flanagan

166. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the rationale for the annual review mechanism provided for in section 18 of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998, as amended by section 37 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999; if he will list any other similar review mechanisms which exist in legislation here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19631/13]

Departmental Bodies

Terence Flanagan

230. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 17 April 2013, if he will list any other such oversight committees which have been established since his appointment; the membership and remit of any such committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19641/13]

Schools Amalgamation

Terence Flanagan

86. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide clarification regarding reports of the amalgamation of two schools (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19182/13]

Youth Guarantee

Terence Flanagan

117. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to Focus Ireland's proposal to introduce a Youth Guarantee; if she will provide education, training and support for young persons experiencing homelessness; her views on whether it will save costs for the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19186/13]

Homeless Persons Supports

Terence Flanagan

125. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the action is being taken by her Department to provide assistance to young persons who are homeless to ensure they do not become trapped in emergency accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19184/13]

Equality Issues

Terence Flanagan

195. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will respond to the following query regarding the Employment Equality Act (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19179/13]

Substance Misuse

Terence Flanagan

229. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the number of alcohol related deaths that occurred here over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19174/13]

Departmental Oversight Committees

Terence Flanagan

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]

Tax Code

Terence Flanagan

254. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance his views on a matter regarding VAT (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19089/13]

Teaching Contracts

Terence Flanagan

256. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the extension of teachers' working hours in the Croke Park Agreement will cease and the old teaching hours return post recession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18511/13]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Terence Flanagan

300. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the moratorium on recruitment in the public sector applies to the replacement of a person in a job-sharing post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18513/13]

Disability Allowance Eligibility

Terence Flanagan

396. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter regarding means testing (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19094/13]

Judicial Issues

Terence Flanagan

489. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the structures in place, both formal and informal to deal with any issues of concern that judges have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18541/13]

Garda Investigations

Terence Flanagan

490. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the banking enquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18567/13]

General Practitioner Training

Terence Flanagan

577. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health when the MICGP/alternative pathway scheme will be introduced (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18228/13]

Abortion Legislation

Terence Flanagan

654. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on the recently published peer reviewed paper (details supplied), a leading authority on abortion and psychiatry, to the effect that the law cannot rely on mental health as a grounds for abortion [19051/13]

Legislative Process RIA

Terence Flanagan

666. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will list the terms of reference and the membership of the oversight committee which he set up regarding the Protection of Maternal Life Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19113/13]

Legislative Process RIA

Terence Flanagan

667. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if the proposed heads of the Protection of Maternal Life Bill will be debated by the appropriate Oireachtas committees, Health and Justice, in advance of any decision to publish legislation; if expert witnesses will be called before both Oireachtas committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19114/13]

Building Regulations Application

Terence Flanagan

187. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on housing building standards and in particular the current insulation and energy standards applicable to new housing here; if he will advise as to the most modern and sustainable standards currently available; when the current standards were last reviewed; his plans to upgrade or recalibrate those standards to ensure new housing here is energy efficient or zero-energy efficient in the context of increasing energy bills for homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18151/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Terence Flanagan

97. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a resource teacher in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17805/13]

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Expenditure

Terence Flanagan

156. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the background to the decision to cut grants for religious ceremonies such as first communion and confirmation costs; if these grants will be reinstated in the future to help the poorest in society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17996/13]

Legislative Programme

Terence Flanagan

235. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the role of the Junior Ministers in his Department in constructing abortion legislation; the number of meetings he has had with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17774/13]

Pensions Levy Yield

Terence Flanagan

316. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the way the money collected from the pension levy is being spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17125/13]

Pensions Levy

Terence Flanagan

317. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance when the pension levy will cease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17126/13]

Pensions Levy Yield

Terence Flanagan

318. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the amount that has been collected to date by the pension levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17127/13]

State Agencies

Terence Flanagan

509. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the rationalisation of State agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16380/13]

National Monuments

Terence Flanagan

519. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider renaming the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16518/13]

Public Sector Pensions

Terence Flanagan

524. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the actuarial assessments of public service pension costs will commence; or if it has commenced, when it will be completed and made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16763/13]

Pension Provisions

Terence Flanagan

525. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of pension schemes that have applied to PIPS to date; the number of those applications that have been approved by him; the rates quoted by the National Treasury Management Agency for each of the applicants; the date of the NTMA quotation; the way those rates compared to the long-term borrowing costs of the Irish State on the date the application was first received by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16954/13]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Terence Flanagan

527. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when public sector pay scales will be restored; if time served on existing pay scale points will be taken into account when increments resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17106/13]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Terence Flanagan

528. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way the new pay scales in the public sector will be determined, taking into account shift allowances and bank holiday payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17107/13]

Work Permit Applications

Terence Flanagan

545. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there is a limit on the amount of work permits issued each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17095/13]

Social Welfare Fraud Cost

Terence Flanagan

591. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any plans to introduce fingerprint technology in her Department to assist with investigating fraudulent claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16379/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Terence Flanagan

727. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of onshore windfarms and the number of offshore windfarms currently being constructed here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16372/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Terence Flanagan

728. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he recognises the benefits of developing offshore windfarms as opposed to onshore windfarms, which risk causing noise pollution and blighting the countryside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16376/13]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Terence Flanagan

729. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if regulations are in place regarding the construction of onshore windfarms here that are financed by foreign companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16378/13]

Litter Pollution Legislation

Terence Flanagan

750. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce new, tougher legislation to address the problem of littering and dog fouling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16892/13]

Litter Pollution Legislation

Terence Flanagan

808. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the initiatives being run by his Department to address the problem of littering and dog fouling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16893/13]

Local Authority Funding

Terence Flanagan

829. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider introducing a system where payers of the local property tax receive regular updates from their council on the way the revenue is spent with a breakdown across expenditure headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17108/13]

Planning Issues

Terence Flanagan

830. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will respond to a query (details supplied) regarding planning permission in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17142/13]

Common Travel Area

Terence Flanagan

859. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the common travel area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16442/13]

Liquor Licensing Laws

Terence Flanagan

895. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if any consideration has been given to changing the law to allow pubs to serve alcohol on Good Friday and Christmas Day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16519/13]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Terence Flanagan

897. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action that is being taken to improve the living conditions of asylum seekers in direct provision centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16526/13]

Animal Welfare Expenditure

Terence Flanagan

1027. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on reports that pet owners are being advised to euthanise their healthy pets for financial reasons; if he will confirm if there is help available from animal charities to assist pet owners in financial difficulty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16716/13]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Terence Flanagan

1128. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) in County Dublin regarding assisted human reproduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16042/13]

Health Information

Terence Flanagan

1129. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure that only appropriate content is put up on the website spunout.ie in future and if he will advise as to the funding that has been provided to this organisation over the past five years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16074/13]

Disabilities Services Funding

Terence Flanagan

1195. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding that has been provided to an organisation (details supplied) in County Dublin over the past five years; when the last audit took place regarding funding and treatment of its residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16524/13]