Parliamentary questions

Public Sector Pensions Data

Willie O'Dea

756. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of former public servants recruited before 6 April 1995 who receive public sector pensions, including both pensions funded by the Exchequer and through the Local Government Fund, and those pension schemes for which she has responsibility; the age profile of the public servants; if she will provide in tabular form the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following parameters, between €1,000 intervals up to €20,000 and those on more than €20,000. [5886/13]

Public Sector Pensions Data

Willie O'Dea

870. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the number of former public servants recruited before 6 April 1995 who receive a public sector pension, including both pensions funded by the Exchequer and through the local government fund, and those pension schemes for which he has responsibility; the age profile of those public servants; if he will provide in tabular form the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following parameters, between €1,000 intervals up to €20,000 and those on more than €20,000. [5893/13]

Public Sector Pensions Data

Willie O'Dea

906. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of former public servants recruited before 6 April 1995 who receive a public sector pension, including both pensions funded by the Exchequer and through the Local Government Fund, and those pension schemes for which he has responsibility; the age profile of the public servants; if he will provide in tabular form the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following parameters, between €1,000 intervals up to €20,000 and those on more than €20,000. [5899/13]

Departmental Functions

Willie O'Dea

11. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his priorities for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4760/13]

Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times

Willie O'Dea

123. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for disability allowance, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance in 2012; the average waiting times and total percentage of successful applicants for each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4268/13]

Social Welfare Code Review

Willie O'Dea

126. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Commission on Social Welfare and Taxation (details supplied) will be published; if the programme for Government commitment on social welfare rates still stands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4269/13]

Jobseeker's Benefit Applications

Willie O'Dea

168. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the implementation timeframe of the budget 2013 changes to jobseeker's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4092/13]

Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Willie O'Dea

337. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has had consultation with the Teachers' Union of Ireland in advance of the decision to reduce the PTR for students in adult and further education; and if he will consider reversing thhi decision in view of the damage it will cause within the sector. [4317/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Willie O'Dea

338. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are currently no ASD Units in Limerick City; his plans to put same in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4329/13]

Vocational Education Committees Amalgamation

Willie O'Dea

353. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the persons who hold the responsibility for the decision regarding the location of the headquarters for the proposed Mid West Regional Vocational Education Committee; if the headquarters will be located in Limerick city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4558/13]

Enterprise Support Services Provision

Willie O'Dea

29. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of businesses that have availed of the microenterprise loan fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3340/13]

Defence Forces Personnel

Willie O'Dea

181. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding training to assist in returning to the civilian workforce in respect of a person (details supplied). [3689/13]

Employment Rights Issues

Willie O'Dea

126. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the situation regarding workers (details supplied) in County Limerick, who have been forced to stage a sit-in in order to attempt to get moneys owed to them by the company; the steps he is taking to ensure that the workers are paid the moneys owed to them; if he will facilitate easy access to social welfare entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3435/13]

Inland Fisheries Issues

Willie O'Dea

417. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the River Maigue will be open for salmon fishing in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2577/13]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Willie O'Dea

114. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if passenger transport companies are to be included in the fuel rebate scheme and that the rebate will be at the 13c per litre level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58045/12]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Willie O'Dea

126. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider extending the excise rebate on diesel announced in Budget 2013 to bus and coach companies in the forthcoming Finance Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1045/13]

Employment Rights Issues

Willie O'Dea

388. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Home and Community Care Ireland have been in touch with him concerning the issue of the status of live-in carer's under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 and the Working Time Act 1997 and the policing of that legislation by the National Employment Rights Authority; and the action he proposes to take to resolve this issue. [58124/12]

Sale of Aer Lingus

Willie O'Dea

23. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he or any State agency has tendered for an adviser in relation to the State's 25% shareholding in Aer Lingus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57217/12]

General Practitioner Services

Willie O'Dea

37. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when legislation to provide for free general practitioner care will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57082/12]

Child and Family Support Agency Establishment

Willie O'Dea

73. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if adequate resources to employ social workers for children are in place for 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56708/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Willie O'Dea

84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the discussions she has had with the Health Service Executive regarding complementary funding supports to county childcare committees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56713/12]

Public Inquiries

Willie O'Dea

120. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the De Silva report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56927/12]

Public Inquiries

Willie O'Dea

121. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has held with the British government in relation to the De Silva Report and the need for a full independent inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56928/12]

Health Services Staff Issues

Willie O'Dea

638. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the fate of the agency workers who are currently employed by the Health Service Executive in the posts now to be taken by new graduate nurses; if he will consider these temporary contract workers as applicants for the new posts alongside the graduate nurses when advertising the new positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56812/12]

Single Payment Scheme Expenditure

Willie O'Dea

19. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will explain the 0.9% linear reduction to the single farm payment imposed in 2012; the number of farmers this will affect; the total amount of the reduction and where these funds go; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55971/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received under the agri-environment options scheme 3 by 7 December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55976/12]

Defence Forces Remuneration

Willie O'Dea

14. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that remuneration levels for Defence Force personnel are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54781/12]

Tax Yield

Willie O'Dea

43. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the average and median individual amount of increased taxation in comparison to pre-July 2013 levels that women on maternity benefit will pay after July 2013 in a full tax year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55760/12]

Tax and Social Welfare Codes

Willie O'Dea

44. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the reason behind the changes in taxation regarding maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55761/12]

Tax Rebates

Willie O'Dea

45. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money the Revenue repaid in tax refunds under maternity benefit rates in 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55762/12]

Joint Policing Committees Remit

Willie O'Dea

60. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for the future of joint policing committees; his view on broadening their remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55484/12]

Child Benefit Payments

Willie O'Dea

255. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline in tabular form the number of recipients of child benefit who are in receipt of payments for third and subsequent child broken down by country and number of children. [55373/12]

Respite Care Grant Data

Willie O'Dea

260. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular breakdown by county the total number of persons in receipt of respite care grant, regardless of other payments in 2010, 2011 and 2012. [55553/12]

Departmental Correspondence

Willie O'Dea

94. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence if he will respond to the requests of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 [54954/12]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Willie O'Dea

81. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the future of funding for the community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49896/12]

Health Insurance Claims

Willie O'Dea

669. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will confirm insurance payment issues in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54490/12]

Alternative Energy Projects

Willie O'Dea

30. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the consequences for Ireland of EU Commission proposals that aim to cap crop based bio-fuel production to a maximum of 5% of total transport fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53268/12]

Energy Resources

Willie O'Dea

42. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the assessment of the International Energy Agency in its World Energy Outlook report that fears of peak oil are unfounded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53273/12]

Employment Support Services

Willie O'Dea

381. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend access to the jobbridge scheme to the self employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52490/12]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Willie O'Dea

407. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that two members of staff who are redeployed from FAS to her Department and are carrying out all of the higher grade duties whilst on secondment to LES Limerick on a continuous basis for 16 years, have not received the acting up allowance currently €16,135 since January 2012; that they have been informed that this allowance will not be paid until they sign their transfer contracts; however this allowance is not reckonable for superannuation purposes even though they now pay full pension contributions due on their full salary for the past 16 years; her plans to regularise this situation and if not, what recourse the employees have to ensure regularisation of their situation whilst retaining their rights as civil servants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52795/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

Willie O'Dea

697. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding for the Options Programme in County Limerick which allows persons with special needs, the average age of which currently is 24 years, to remain within the training environment, giving a sense of worth of worth and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52830/12]

Enterprise Ireland Investments

Willie O'Dea

30. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made on the women in business startup drive since the end of the application period in September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51862/12]

Industrial Development

Willie O'Dea

34. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the mechanisms that have been developed to promote and deliver early stage investment by the Irish diaspora in new indigenous and inward startups as promised in the Action Plan for Jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51857/12]

Departmental Bodies Abolition

Willie O'Dea

13. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has identified additional State agencies that can be rationalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51651/12]

School Curriculum

Willie O'Dea

109. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will ensure that the new junior certificate cycle is implemented in a consistent manner and to the same standard across all schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51324/12]

European Stability Mechanism

Willie O'Dea

23. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Finance if he has given detailed considerations to the benefits and costs associated with the European Stability Mechanism taking equity stakes in the State owned banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50503/12]

Passport Applications

Willie O'Dea

69. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when a person (details supplied) will receive their renewed passport. [50772/12]

Mental Health Services Provision

Willie O'Dea

251. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide alternative and appropriate purpose built accommodation for the remaining residents of St. Joseph's Psychiatric Hospital, Mulgrave Street, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50773/12]

Hospital Services

Willie O'Dea

252. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when the new critical care unit of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, County Limerick, will be opened; if funding and staff have been provided for this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50774/12]

Hospital Services

Willie O'Dea

253. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his plans to open the vacant stroke unit at St. Camillus' Hospital, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50775/12]