Parliamentary questions

EU Presidency Expenditure

Micheál Martin

51. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department will be recruiting or seconding extra staff for the duration of the EU Presidency; if so, the areas to which they will be seconded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50876/12]

EU Presidency Agenda

Micheál Martin

52. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has any special arrangements made for the term of the EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50917/12]

EU Presidency Expenditure

Micheál Martin

53. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail all planned costs to his Department of press activity relating to the EU Presidency. [50875/12]

EU Presidency Agenda

Micheál Martin

54. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if during Ireland's Presidency of the EU particular attention will be given to the ongoing violence in Syria, Israel and Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52231/12]

Middle East Peace Process

Micheál Martin

55. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there was a discussion on Israel and Gaza at the November European Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53795/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

56. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, during his visits to Northern Ireland, funding for the Foyles Women's Aid Group was discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54057/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

57. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has received representations from the Family Justice Centre, County Derry, in relation to funding or any other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54058/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

58. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the work of the Family Justice Centre, County Derry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54059/12]

Middle East Peace Process

Micheál Martin

59. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his concerns regarding tensions in Israel and Palestine even though there is a peace agreement at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54063/12]

EU Presidency Expenditure

Micheál Martin

60. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has carried out an assessment on the increased costs to his Department in 2013 due to the Presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53798/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

61. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed the recent violent protest near Belfast City Hall with the First Minister or Deputy First Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55447/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Micheál Martin

62. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is concerned about party political demonstrations on PSNI headquarters following recent arrests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55218/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Gerry Adams

63. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has been in contact with the Northern Secretary of State Theresa Villiers in relation to the recent decision to suspend the inquests into the victims of the Ballymurphy Massacre. [53793/12]

Nuclear Proliferation

Clare Daly

64. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will withdraw diplomatic support for the US/EU sanctions against Iran. [1630/13]

Passport Applications

Jack Wall

65. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider the following regarding an Irish passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1829/13]

Departmental Agencies Funding

Kevin Humphreys

66. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a list of the bodies, other than statutory bodies, that were fully funded by his Department in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1906/13]

Human Rights Issues

Bernard Durkan

67. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his colleagues at EU and UN level can highlight the bravery of Ms Malala Yousufzai and her efforts to achieve education for women and girls in Pakistan and other regions worldwide; if the international community can use the attack on her life and her on-going recovery as a means of bringing positive attention to the issues that she highlighted in a coordinated international effort to ensure that her bravery does not go unnoticed and her sacrifices were not in vain; if he will be in a position to pursue these issues during the course of Ireland’s presidency with the help of his EU and UN colleagues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1934/13]

Human Rights Issues

Bernard Durkan

68. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community can assist through the medium of the EU and the UN to improve women’s rights in Pakistan; if specific objectives have been set out or will be set out in this regard; the extent, if any, to which he sees a role for the smaller countries in the EU and elsewhere being expanded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1935/13]

Human Rights Issues

Bernard Durkan

69. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which, at EU and UN level, he and his colleagues are in a position to focus attention on the rape and sexual assaults on women and girls worldwide regardless of nationality or culture with particular reference to the most recent incidents in India; if international pressure can be brought on all countries with a view to stamping out such attacks and the culture surrounding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1936/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

70. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which efforts continue to be made to bring about a cessation of violence and the provision of support for aid workers in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1937/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

71. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he continues to become alerted to the difficulties faced by the Red Cross, Medicins San Frontieres and all aid workers and their agencies currently operating or attempting to operate in war zones or unrest in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere; if he anticipates any particular improvements in this regard in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1938/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

72. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which efforts are being made to set up permanent structures to engage with all the protagonists in the Middle East conflict with particular reference to the need to ensure access to outside independent agencies to deal with on-going issues and avert new confrontations or the potential for such confrontation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1939/13]

Overseas Development Aid Oversight

Bernard Durkan

73. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he has been reassured that overseas development aid continue to reach those for whom it was intended and that recompense is made in situations where this is not the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1940/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

74. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current situation in the top ten most sensitive locations worldwide which continue to suffer from war, starvation, famine, genocide, ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses; the degree to which it remains possible to deliver aid and support to the people in such cases; the extent to which deterrents such as referral to the International War Tribunal are used effectively in such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1941/13]

Foreign Conflicts

Bernard Durkan

75. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which the international community can bring about positive influence on the protagonists in the various war-torn regions in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1942/13]

Human Rights Issues

Bernard Durkan

76. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community continues to monitor the continued incarceration of former Prime Minister of the Ukraine, Yulio Tymoshenko; the extent of efforts, if any at international level to bring about her release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1943/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Bernard Durkan

77. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he continues to be in a position to focus attention on hunger, famine, starvation and war associated atrocities throughout Africa; if he will set out the main locations for concern in this regard and the extent to which success can be expected in bringing about an improvement in the situation thereat in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1944/13]

Exports Data

Bernard Durkan

78. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he expects an improvement in trade with various countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America in the coming years with particular reference to the need to use such trade as a vehicle for economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1945/13]

Exports Data

Bernard Durkan

79. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the countries worldwide with which Ireland recorded greatest improvement in the expansion of trade and commercial activity in 2012; his objectives in this regard in the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1946/13]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Bernard Durkan

80. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he might envisage progress in any discussions with the US authorities in regard to the possibility of addressing the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States; if it might be possible on an annual or piecemeal basis to draw up a procedure whereby an agreed number of regularisations could be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1947/13]

Human Rights Issues

Bernard Durkan

81. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his EU and UN colleagues continue to monitor the persecution of citizens attempting promote democracy at various locations throughout the globe; the extent if any of an agreed strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1948/13]

Diplomatic Representation Expenditure

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

82. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the plight of a person (details supplied) who is incarcerated in a Spanish prison since 2009; if any consular service has been made available to them; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the person believes they have been victimised in the prison for raising the issue of abuse of other prisoners in prisons in which they were also imprisoned. [1977/13]

Departmental Agencies Funding

Kevin Humphreys

83. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a list of the bodies, other than statutory bodies, that were partially funded by his Department in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2037/13]

Property Taxation Application

Michael Healy-Rae

84. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding property tax in respect of a building (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57802/12]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

85. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the need to exempt residents of Priory Hall, Dublin, tenants from the property tax in view of the situation regarding their homes and their inability to live in them due to health and safety concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57889/12]

Property Taxation Application

Finian McGrath

86. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding property tax. [58182/12]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Timmy Dooley

87. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Finance the reason he confined the granting of the rebate to hauliers and excluded passenger transport operators from the scheme; if he will explain his apparent u-turn on his views expressed previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1328/13]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Timmy Dooley

88. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Finance if he has already sought permission from the EU Commission to introduce an excise rebate for hauliers; if so, the case he has put forward to have haulage operators included while excluding passenger transport operators; if the Commission has not already been notified, if he will the consider seeking permission to have passenger transport operators included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1329/13]

Pension Provisions

Terence Flanagan

89. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the number of jobs created as a result of the money generated by the pension levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1362/13]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Sandra McLellan

90. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Finance that the excise rebate on diesel be passed onto coach and bus operators as well as licensed hauliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1371/13]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Mattie McGrath

91. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his plans to extend the auto-diesel relief for licensed road hauliers measures introduced in Budget 2013 to all passenger transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1733/13]

EU Policy Group

Bernard Durkan

92. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which he and his EU colleagues can reach consensus on the various issues now affecting the European Union with particular reference to economic and fiscal policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1949/13]

Regulatory and Poverty Impact Assessments

Niall Collins

93. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the number of regulatory impact assessments that have been carried out by his Department in the past twelve months and the list of regulatory impact assessments carried out within his Department in the past twelve months. [57760/12]

Property Taxation Collection

Michael Healy-Rae

94. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance if persons who are in arrears with their mortgage and having extreme difficulty in paying their mortgage, are faced with the dilemma of having a demand for the new property tax to be paid or to make a payment on their mortgage and there is absolutely no surplus cash available, the mechanisms that will be in place for special and needy cases such as this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57864/12]

Copyright Infringement

Maureen O'Sullivan

95. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to ensure that the integrity of the National Anthem will be preserved as copyright will end in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57867/12]

Departmental Bodies Establishment

Patrick O'Donovan

96. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the number of agencies, bodies, boards, quangos or other entities, which are financed from, answerable to or established by his Department that have been abolished, merged or re-organised since this Government took office; the savings that have been realised since the changes were made; the level of staff reduction that has been achieved; if he will provide details of further agency reductions that he intends to pursue in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57878/12]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Terence Flanagan

97. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that the wording of the property tax is changed in order that voluntary housing agencies are made exempt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57907/12]

Pension Provisions

Martin Ferris

98. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the amount that has been collected to date under the 0.6% pension levy; if the money is being ring-fenced for the purposes outlined on its introduction; and the number of jobs that have been created as a consequence. [57921/12]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Michael Lowry

99. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the terms of the fuel rebate as introduced in Budget 2013; if this rebate will apply to passenger transport companies as well as hauliers; if his attention has been drawn to the hardship being caused as a result of this uncertainty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57926/12]

Pension Provisions

Eoghan Murphy

100. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his position on the transfer by AIB of €1.1 billion of its assets to its pension fund. [57931/12]