Parliamentary questions

Tax Reliefs Application

Dominic Hannigan

327. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if a person can claim health expenses against tax by claiming for small portions of the overall expenditure of the health expense over a period of years so as to maximise the tax benefit to the person; if there is any way of claiming against the universal social charge in a similar manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38836/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Dominic Hannigan

328. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline, in tabular form, both the number and the percentage of women and men on State boards under the aegis of his Department in each of the past ten years; if he will provide the most up-to-date figures available regarding the number and percentage of women and men on State boards under the aegis of his Department in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38857/12]

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Paschal Donohoe

329. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce an essential user diesel rebate scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38870/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Kevin Humphreys

330. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the number of taxpayers that have had to reimburse the State due to failure to comply with the heritage property relief conditions on an annual basis since 2005; the number of audits relating to use of the relief that have been performed on an annual basis since 2005; the amount of revenue raised from such audits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38919/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Kevin Humphreys

331. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the estimated cost on an annual basis since 2005 of the heritage property relief; the number of claims there have been on an annual basis since 2005 of this relief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38920/12]

Property Taxation Application

Pearse Doherty

332. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has contacted the Revenue service regarding the implementation of a property tax. [38925/12]

Property Taxation Application

Pearse Doherty

333. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the steps the Revenue service are undertaking in preparation for the implementation of a property tax. [38927/12]

Mortgage Interest Relief Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

334. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amount spent on mortgage interest relief in 2011. [38928/12]

Mortgage Interest Relief Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

335. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amount estimated to be spent on mortgage interest relief in 2012 and 2013 respectively. [38929/12]

Mortgage Debt

Pearse Doherty

336. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the estimated value of the Irish residential mortgage book; and if there is a breakdown of mortgages by value on a year-by-year uptake from 2002 to date in 2012. [38930/12]

Tax Credits

Michael McGrath

337. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding correspondence sent by a person (details supplied) in County Cork to the Revenue Commissioners regarding an income tax matter. [38937/12]

Tax Code

Willie Penrose

338. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Finance if he has concluded the public consultation process on dealing with the rules pertaining to tax exiles; and the considerations he will take to change these rules to ensure they are more stringent. [38939/12]

Universal Social Charge Payments

Terence Flanagan

339. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance his views on a query regarding the universal social charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38980/12]

Banking Sector Regulation

Terence Flanagan

340. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the action he is taking to address the level of rejections for loans and overdrafts to small and medium-sized businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39061/12]

Financial Services Regulation

Patrick O'Donovan

341. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to amending the existing rules and regulations covering pension funds and the pension industry to allow for the early release of funds from pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39135/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Anne Ferris

342. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the steps he is taking to ensure that State boards have at least 40% of each gender, as provided for in the programme for Government; the percentage at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39153/12]

Tax Code

Tom Fleming

343. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a non-complex system of a 5% income tax increase on those earning in excess of €125,000 in view of the fact that he has already ascertained in a reply to a parliamentary question that the projected figure of half a billion euro generated from this initiative would be equivalent to the revenue generated by a property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39163/12]

NAMA Property Leases

Thomas P. Broughan

344. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the number of residential units that have been made available by the National Asset Management Agency for lease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39167/12]

Disabled Drivers Grant Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

345. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the decision to refuse a primary medical certificate in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39183/12]

State Banking Sector

Pearse Doherty

346. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the current value of shares held by the State in Irish banks; and when negotiations will begin in Europe on Irish banking debt. [39235/12]

State Banking Sector

Pearse Doherty

347. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if this State will be setting a minimum value for which it is willing to sell Irish bank shares to the ESM, and if such a policy is to be pursued. [39236/12]

State Banking Sector

Pearse Doherty

348. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if a study has been undertaken to ascertain the long term economic value of current shares held by the State in Irish banks. [39237/12]

NTMA Bonds

Terence Flanagan

349. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if esoteric assets were considered as an alternative to the recently launched National Treasury Management Agency bonds; if they were not considered, if they will be in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39264/12]

Fuel Laundering

Brendan Smith

350. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the proposals that he has to implement further measures to deal with diesel laundering and the resulting revenue loss to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39349/12]

State Bodies Expenditure

Sean Fleming

351. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the number of State bodies that have been set up since 9 March 2011; the rationale behind these decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39997/12]

Land Acquisition

Pearse Doherty

352. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of the payments made by the State to private land owners in 2010 and 2011 to acquire land for use in the public capital programme. [40010/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Sean Fleming

353. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the names of special advisers for whom salary increases have been requested; the amount requested; the details of those granted increases and the amount by which they were increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40021/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

354. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37806/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Jack Wall

355. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason home tuition hours have been withdrawn in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38877/12]

Third Level Admissions Reform

Jerry Buttimer

356. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to change the college entry requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36999/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Jerry Buttimer

357. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will instruct the Teaching Council to recognise degrees in engineering, which are by their very nature dominated by mathematics, for the purposes of registration of mathematics teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37000/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

358. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a higher education access route grant will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37001/12]

School Staffing

Charlie McConalogue

359. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Donegal may appoint a mainstream teacher to the position that is on appeal an outcome of which will be determined at the October appeals board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37002/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Eoghan Murphy

360. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the following case regarding a reduced allocation of a special needs assistant in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6. [37006/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Peter Mathews

361. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 20; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37010/12]

School Transport Provision

John Perry

362. Deputy John Perry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties encountered by a family (details supplied) in County Sligo in relation to their school transport. [37014/12]

School Enrolments

Arthur Spring

363. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received the projected enrolment figures for 2012/13 for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry and based on these figures, the number of teachers that the school will be allocated. [37015/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Pat Breen

364. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options for funding or grants in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37016/12]

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Dara Calleary

365. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of agencies, authorities, boards, committees, working groups, tribunals, council services, task forces, agencies or other quangos set up by his Department since February 2011; the number abolished since then; the extra cost of quangos which were established; the savings from the abolition of quangos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37243/12]

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Dara Calleary

366. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of each quango in his Department; the amount expected to be saved from the mergers of quangos in his Department; the basis for this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37259/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

367. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new jobs created by his Department as a result of the jobs initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37275/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

368. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new jobs created by his Department as a result of the action plan on jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37291/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

369. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new jobs created by his Department as a result of budget 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37307/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

370. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on taxis by his Department since February 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37323/12]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

371. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of press officers in his Department; the number of press officers in each agency under his auspices; the total cost of press officers in his Department and in agencies under his auspices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37339/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Dara Calleary

372. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of board appointments he has made since he came to office; the names, salaries and expenses of each appointee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37355/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

373. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail, in tabular form, the total photography costs for his Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographers was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37371/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

374. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail, in tabular form, the total cost of providing entertainment for his Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the occasions for which entertainment was provided; the entertainers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion; if there is a policy regarding the booking of entertainers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37443/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

375. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on food and drink by his Department; if he will provide a breakdown of what this involved; the occasions on which food and drink was provided; those present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37459/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

376. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on hair and make-up by his Department since he came to office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37475/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Sean Fleming

377. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in his Department; the name of the Minister or Minister of State to whom he or she reports; the salary of each adviser now; the salary of each adviser at the time he or she was appointed; if any salary increase was asked for; if it was granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37491/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Sean Fleming

378. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide detail, in tabular form, of the names of all external public relations and consultancy persons and organisations used by his Department for the years 2011 and 2010; the amount paid to each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37507/12]

Ministerial Staff

Sean Fleming

379. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the gross annual salary costs for his private and constituency offices at present; the same figures for this time last year; the same figures for any Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37524/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Sean Fleming

380. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail, in tabular form, the amount paid on external public relations and communications consultants since February 2011; the reason for the payment; the name of each organisation used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37540/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Sean Fleming

381. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail in tabular form the amount paid to consultants since February 2011; the name of each organisation used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37556/12]

Ministerial Advisers

Sean Fleming

382. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the political activities of each special adviser, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in his Department; if any of them were members of a political party; if so, the parties to which they belonged; if any of them are or have been elected local authority members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37572/12]

Ministerial Transport

Sean Fleming

383. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent by his Department on drivers and ministerial transport since February 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37588/12]

Departmental Reports

Sean Fleming

384. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department, including payments from ministerial allowances, details of the consultants employed and costs of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37620/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Finian McGrath

385. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support the attached (details supplied). [37708/12]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Nicky McFadden

386. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide clarification on teacher numbers and the pupil teacher ratio at a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath from September 2012; if he is satisfied that pupils will continue to receive a comprehensive education with decreased teacher numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37725/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Nicky McFadden

387. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a delay has occurred and a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath will not be completed until May 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37741/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

Sean Fleming

388. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will supply a list of all Labour Court recommendations that have been issued in respect of his Department and organisations under his aegis that have not been complied with in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37751/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Tom Fleming

389. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the productive assets of farm families and other self employed families are not factored into the assessment of income for the purpose of third level maintenance grants; if he will acknowledge the fundamental role played by the student grant schemes in supporting families by refraining from increasing fees and reducing grants as most families today are under huge financial pressures and should be assisted in every way possible so that their children will access third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37780/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Brendan Ryan

390. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the current number of autistic spectrum units in North County Dublin; if there are plans for more ASD units to be rolled out in the area over the next few years; if there are details of such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37800/12]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Sean Fleming

391. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding recruiting persons with a disability; the number of persons currently employed in his Department; the number of persons with a disability who have been employed since 1 January 2011 to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37835/12]

Vocational Education Committees Membership

Dan Neville

392. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether learners should have a seat on the education and training boards when they are set up to replace the 33 VECs; his further views on whether learners need to be represented on further education on the basis of equity, fairness and improving the quality of education and training services in view of the fact that learners are routinely represented on governing bodies in higher education and at school level through parents; if adult learners should also be fully represented at further education level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37899/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Nicky McFadden

393. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that eligibility for higher education grants will continue to be assessed by income only and not by asset value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37900/12]

School Accommodation

Michelle Mulherin

394. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools that are bi-located; if he will identify all such schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37909/12]

School Accommodation

Michelle Mulherin

395. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy that operates in respect of bi-located primary schools and their accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37910/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Nicky McFadden

396. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Longford will be approved for a two-classroom extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37930/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Finian McGrath

397. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding teaching qualifications. [37956/12]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Bernard Durkan

398. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student grant is payable in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/12]

Institutes of Technology Issues

Paudie Coffey

399. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate which institutes of technology have joined together in submitting an expression of interest for applying to become technological universities, as phase one of the process should now be concluded as the six-month time period for making such an expression has now elapsed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37991/12]

School Curriculum

Paudie Coffey

400. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in updating the junior certificate and leaving certificate cycles so that subjects such as politics and information technology will become part of both curricula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37992/12]

School Curriculum

Paudie Coffey

401. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in introducing some course work that will be examinable on a continuous assessment basis for the leaving certificate and junior certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37993/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Pat Breen

402. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated in respect of extra special needs assistant hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38009/12]

Proposed Legislation

Paudie Coffey

403. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in recent months in respect of the establishment of Solas, the new State training agency to replace FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38039/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Finian McGrath

404. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied). [38052/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

Sean Fleming

405. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will conclude the consultation between his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the payment of a Labour Court recommendation which was decided on 27 September 2011 in view of the unnecessary hardship that is being caused by the non-payment of this amount in line with the Labour Court recommendation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38059/12]

Third Level Funding

Joanna Tuffy

406. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of funding from his Department to institutes of technology and universities from the State on a college by college basis and under the heading which that funding was made available in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; if any moneys were returned during these years to the Department as unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38088/12]

Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements

Peter Mathews

407. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills the entry requirement for third level education in respect of a family (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38099/12]

Departmental Funding

Finian McGrath

408. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a matter (details supplied). [38112/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Finian McGrath

409. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a matter (details supplied). [38113/12]

School Curriculum

Nicky McFadden

410. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the submission made by the Irish Human Rights Commission on the issue of civic, social and political education; if the subject will remain a compulsory State examination subject in the new junior certificate curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38122/12]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Seán Crowe

411. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify, whether under existing legislation, a teacher who is not registered with the Teaching Council, if the Department is obliged to pay for their services from September onwards. [38222/12]

School Transport Provision

Sean Fleming

412. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the eligibility for school transport to provide the precise collection and drop-off point for children attending their nearest education centre as determined by his Department in respect of schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38231/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

413. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the problems associated with building a new school block for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8 which remains partially built and the third contractor still not on site to complete the long awaited school building; the steps he and his officials will take to ensure speedy completion of the building works which started three years ago; the reason the cheapest contractor is always engaged when the experience at the school shows that this is not always the most prudent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38246/12]

Third Level Admissions Reform

Joanna Tuffy

414. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to implement the recommendation of the Points Commission report in 2000 that colleges be obliged to publish the number of places available on courses those colleges offer through the CAO, in order to lead to more transparency and accountability regarding the way public funding is being used by colleges for third level education and also help inform public policy in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38269/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Michael Healy-Rae

415. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider the position of a special needs teacher (details supplied) in County Kerry. [38277/12]

Third Level Funding

Paudie Coffey

416. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to establish a review for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 into the expenses incurred by the president's office of every institute of technology and university in the State, to ensure that correct tendering processes are being followed, and that other procedures in terms of the way in which moneys are being spent are being adhered to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38282/12]

School Transport Provision

Michael Healy-Rae

417. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of the cost to contractors carrying children to school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38312/12]

Higher Education Courses Applications

Charlie McConalogue

418. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have accepted places on postgraduate courses for 2012-2013; the number that accepted places on postgraduate courses in 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38318/12]

Higher Education Courses Applications

Charlie McConalogue

419. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have applied for a place on a postgraduate course for 2012-2013; the number that applied for a place on a postgraduate courses in 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38319/12]

Teaching Contracts

Eamonn Maloney

420. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the case of primary teachers who started teaching in 2011, the numbers of such teachers and the numbers of such teachers in the age bands 20-23 years, 23-25 years, 25-27 years, 27-30 years and more than 30 years or, as an alternative to age bands, the years of birth of these teachers as notified to his Department. [38333/12]

Third Level Funding

Charlie McConalogue

421. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the student loan scheme for students on offer by Bank of Ireland which has received the approval of the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38338/12]

Third Level Funding

Charlie McConalogue

422. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts he has made to ensure the best deal for students before supporting the new Bank of Ireland student loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38339/12]

Third Level Funding

Charlie McConalogue

423. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the new Bank of Ireland student loan scheme, for which he expressed public support, is a fair scheme for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38340/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Michael McGrath

424. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the way the teaching panel system works, including details of the eligibility criteria for teachers who wish to join the panel, whereby permanent teaching vacancies are filled from the panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38343/12]

School Transport Provision

Sean Fleming

425. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the grants available for school transport when students are eligible as they reside more than 4.8 km from their nearest education centre as determined by his Department and where there is no school transport service provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38344/12]

School Transport Provision

Sean Fleming

426. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) in County Laois will be approved for school transport on a bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38363/12]