Parliamentary questions

Foreign Conflicts

Finian McGrath

177. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will work closely with the Parliamentary Friends of Columbia Group in the British House of Commons on developing a peace process in Colombia. [38355/12]

Consular Services Representations

Finian McGrath

178. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on an Irish citizen (details supplied) detained in Sri Lanka. [38442/12]

Departmental Staff Training

Gerry Adams

179. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of money spent on an annual basis on education and training of staff in 2011 and to date in 2012; the number of staff that availed of each course; if he will provide a list of the courses staff undertook and the cost of each course per person. [38486/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Dominic Hannigan

180. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [38858/12]

Diplomatic Representation Expenditure

Terence Flanagan

181. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when he expects to reopen the embassy to the Holy See; the number of times Ireland's representative to the Vatican has met with the Vatican since his appointment; the number of times he has stayed in Rome since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39136/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Anne Ferris

182. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [39154/12]

International Summits

Maureen O'Sullivan

183. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason the Rio Summit failed to consider private sector initiatives as part of environmental solutions, and if private sector initiatives will be considered and promoted as part of next year's Irish EU Presidency; the reason it was a feature of Rio+20 that EU countries were required to co-ordinate their preparations only through the Ministries of the Environment and not alongside foreign Ministries; his views that foreign Ministries would have better linked the MDGs, Sustainable Development Goals and developing countries' environmental issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39281/12]

Ministerial Advisers Remuneration

Sean Fleming

184. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [40022/12]

Sale of Aer Lingus

Michael Moynihan

185. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Finance the role of NewERA in the sale of Aer Lingus; his liaisons with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36986/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Dara Calleary

186. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the tax relief associated with Revenue job assist; if this has changed since the budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37383/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Dara Calleary

187. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the maximum relief for the business expansion scheme; if this has changed since the budget; if the conditions have changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37384/12]

Tax Yield

Dara Calleary

188. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance if he has investigated the likely effects of an increase in corporation tax on employment, the presence of multinational corporations, and any other macroeconomic effects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37391/12]

VAT Rates

Dara Calleary

189. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance if he will exempt from VAT service companies that export more than 90% of their output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37392/12]

Insurance Costs

Dara Calleary

190. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the measures he has implemented to improve competitiveness in relation to insurance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37404/12]

Tax Compliance

Dara Calleary

191. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance his policy on tackling the hidden economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37428/12]

Consumer Protection

Dara Calleary

192. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance his policy on improving consumer confidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37429/12]

Tobacco Smuggling

Michael Healy-Rae

193. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance in view of his commitment to increase the penalty for tobacco smuggling and provide robust protection measures to counteract such smuggling, and given that so far this has not happened and the illegal tobacco problem here is growing, his plans to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37645/12]

NAMA Staff Remuneration

Patrick O'Donovan

194. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance the number of employees working for the National Asset Management Agency; the highest wage paid to a NAMA employee; the average wage for a NAMA employee; the recruitment process employed for new employees; if new positions are advertised for positions with NAMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37923/12]

Fuel Laundering

Michael Healy-Rae

195. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance in view of the statistics and figures regarding the usage of illegal road diesel, the measures he intends introducing to stamp out this illegal activity which is costing the Exchequer hundreds of millions in lost revenue every year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37981/12]

Enterprise Support Services Provision

Paudie Coffey

196. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who have applied for the seed capital scheme in 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37995/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Paudie Coffey

197. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Finance the number of new start-up businesses which have benefitted from the three-year corporate tax exemption scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37996/12]

Tax Credits

Paudie Coffey

198. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Finance the number of small and medium enterprises that have benefitted from the research and development tax credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37997/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Paudie Coffey

199. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of employees and employers, both nationally and in County Waterford, who have benefitted as a result of the taking a person one year out of work, double tax relief, scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38001/12]

Drug Smuggling

Michael Healy-Rae

200. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38136/12]

Fuel Trader's Licence

Michael Healy-Rae

201. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding a fuel trader's licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38375/12]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Kevin Humphreys

202. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the number of properties in receipt of the heritage property relief that were open or closed during National Heritage Week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38918/12]

Licensed Moneylenders

Catherine Byrne

203. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Finance if he will consult with the Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland with a view to the banks capping the interest rate being charged by licensed moneylenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37029/12]

Job Assist Scheme Expenditure

Gerry Adams

204. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer to date of the Revenue job assist programme. [37031/12]

Intestate Estates

Eoghan Murphy

205. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his role in the management of a deceased person's assets and finances when the deceased has not left a will and there are no living dependants. [37032/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund Deposits

Eoghan Murphy

206. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the estimated amount of money currently on deposit in financial institutions in the State formerly belonging to persons who are now deceased and who did not leave any indication of any beneficiary nor any living relatives known to the authorities. [37033/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund Management

Eoghan Murphy

207. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the typical length of time that unclaimed money, owing to the death of a person who has no will and no known next of kin, may remain in an account before the State becomes involved and the longest period for which such an account has remained open following the death of the account holder. [37034/12]

Intestate Estates

Eoghan Murphy

208. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the estimated value of assets formerly belonging to persons who are now deceased and who did not leave any indication of any beneficiary nor any living relative. [37035/12]

VAT Rate Application

Brendan Ryan

209. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if VAT is charged on crested and official primary school uniforms; if so, whether this runs contrary to the zero VAT rate on clothes labelled and marketed for children under 11 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37037/12]

Regulation of Accountants

Arthur Spring

210. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Finance the measures in place to protect clients of registered accountants when the accountant fails to provide sufficient information to the Revenue Commissioners despite the fact that the client provided all necessary information to the accountant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37038/12]

Departmental Bodies

Dara Calleary

211. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37245/12]

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Dara Calleary

212. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37261/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

213. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37277/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

214. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37293/12]

Job Creation

Dara Calleary

215. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37309/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

216. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance the total amount spent on taxis by his Department since February 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37325/12]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

217. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37341/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Dara Calleary

218. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37357/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

219. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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 photographer 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. [37373/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

220. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37445/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

221. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37461/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

222. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37477/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Sean Fleming

223. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37493/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Sean Fleming

224. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37509/12]

Ministerial Expenditure

Sean Fleming

225. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37526/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Sean Fleming

226. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Finance 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. [37542/12]