Parliamentary questions

Mortgage Interest Rates

Michael Healy-Rae

201. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding switcher mortgages on tracker rates for the various lenders and their current positions in relation to same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37758/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Michael Healy-Rae

202. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on the plain packaging of cigarettes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37787/13]

Public Liability Insurance

Brendan Ryan

203. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the average cost of public liability insurance here as compared to the average cost across the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37797/13]

Property Taxation Collection

Patrick O'Donovan

204. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Finance the reason the local property tax deduction from a pension has not commenced in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; the action being taken to rectify this backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37804/13]

Excise Duties Yield

Brendan Griffin

205. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the extra revenue that was generated by the €1 levy on wine in budget 2013; if he would provide in tabular form the 2010, 2011, 2012 and most recent 2013 figures for wine sales and the related State revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37813/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Pearse Doherty

206. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the introduction of last year's proposal to reduce the standard fund threshold for pensions, projected to raise in the region of €250 million, would impact on the savings that could be made by a proposal to standardise the pension tax relief rate and reduce the income linked pension ceiling to €70,000, projected to raise €555 million. [37814/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Pearse Doherty

207. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the saving he expects to make in private pension tax reliefs from the introduction of last year's budget proposal to reduce the standard fund threshold for pensions, which will see people above the SFT losing their pension tax reliefs [37815/13]

VAT Rate Application

John Halligan

208. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a commitment to keep the VAT rate at 9% to benefit the hospitality sector which will have a positive knock-on effect for all of those linked with the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37837/13]

Banks Recapitalisation

Colm Keaveney

209. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has undertaken any study on the probability of the need for any future recapitalisation of Irish banks; his views on the likelihood of same; the progress that has been made on securing a commitment that any future recapitalisation will be provided by the European Central Bank or from some other European mechanism or body; his views on whether such a commitment will be reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37864/13]

VAT Rate Application

Michael Healy-Rae

210. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance the reason for the difference in VAT rates (details supplied) [37894/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Nicky McFadden

211. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Finance if a system of auditing banks is in place to ensure that they are delivering on lending promises and targets; the body that oversees such an audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37901/13]

Mortgage Schemes

Pearse Doherty

212. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the connection Springboard Mortgages has to Permanent TSB; if he will confirm that Springboard offered sub-prime mortgages; and the number of these mortgages remaining in operation. [37946/13]

Household Charge Collection

Ann Phelan

213. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Finance the statistics for outstanding household charges for counties Carlow and Kilkenny; the number of these outstanding payments that will incur penalties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37951/13]

Capital Programme Expenditure

Jim Daly

214. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail by name, location and cost the number of capital projects funded by his Department for each of the past five years to date in tabular form in an area (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37961/13]

European Stability Mechanism

Brendan Griffin

215. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the efforts to date to separate legacy banking and sovereign debt; the efforts he will make in the future; if he is confident of a positive deal for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37970/13]

Banking Sector

Brendan Griffin

216. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to AIB's practice of not allowing customers to transfer their tracker mortgages when moving homes; if he will meet with the chief executive of AIB to discuss same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37976/13]

Tobacco Smuggling

Brendan Griffin

217. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the amount allocated annually towards reducing the illicit tobacco trade, counterfeit and illegal; the amount the State estimates is lost in tax revenue because of this trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37977/13]

VAT Rate Application

Róisín Shortall

218. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the basis on which the applicable VAT rate for a given product or service is determined; if he will undertake a comprehensive review of the different rates of VAT that are applied to different product types with a view, on a cost neutral basis, to creating more affordable rates for basic goods and services and higher rates for luxury goods. [38026/13]

Financial Services Regulation

Seán Kyne

219. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied that the existing primary legislation and regulations provide adequate protection for consumers against exploitation by so-called pay-day lenders. [38085/13]

State Savings Schemes

Seán Kyne

220. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance his concerns regarding the recent reduction in interest rate returns from the State's savings schemes will lessen the attractiveness of these products and the steps being taken to market these options to citizens. [38086/13]

Bonds Redemption

Pearse Doherty

221. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 16 July 2013, the reason 4.144055254 billion new AIB shares were issued to the national pension reserve fund in lieu of the €280 million dividend due and not 35.44 billion shares which equals the €280 million preference cash dividends due, divided by the .0079 Euro estimated value of AIB shares at the time of the dividend issuance. [38106/13]

National Payments Plan Implementation

Kevin Humphreys

222. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance his plans to abolish or phase out the use of cheques; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38126/13]

Banking Sector Investigations

Finian McGrath

223. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding allegations of fraud by a financial institution. [38127/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Andrew Doyle

224. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the European Commission's plans to regulate the shadow banking sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38243/13]

Mortgage Repayments

Clare Daly

225. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding each bank received for the specific purpose of dealing with distressed family home mortgages; and the amount of that allocated funding that has been used to help distressed family home mortgage holders. [38300/13]

VAT Rate Application

Tom Fleming

226. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if he will retain the VAT rate at 9% for the tourism and hospitality sector into 2014 and beyond and take into consideration the positive implications the decision to reduce the VAT rate has had on the industry in 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38344/13]

Tax Rebates

Jim Daly

227. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding a tax refund in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38357/13]

Household Charge Collection

Michael McGrath

228. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who opted to pay their local property tax by way of weekly deduction from their social welfare payment; if he will confirm the total local property tax liability of those persons for 2013; the number of those people in respect of whom deductions from their weekly social welfare payment have commenced and the total amount collected to date; if he will further confirm the number of those persons in respect of whom deductions from their weekly social welfare payment have not yet commenced; and the reasons for same. [38380/13]

Household Charge Cost

Michael McGrath

229. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an estimate of the cost of setting up the system for the collection of the local property tax including the cost of the time spent on the project by existing Revenue staff and new staff recruited for this specific project, IT costs, consultancy fees, public advertising and any other related costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38383/13]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

230. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 202 of 11 June 2013, if he will provide an update on the matter raised and any decisions made on foot of this report. [38520/13]

Tax Code

Catherine Murphy

231. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the introduction of a tax on online gambling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38525/13]

Local Government Fund

Catherine Murphy

232. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the dates on which funds from the Local Government Fund have been transferred to the Central Fund in 2013 under section 7 of the Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Act 2013 and the amounts in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38526/13]

Banks Recapitalisation

Finian McGrath

233. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding each bank has received for the specific purpose of dealing with distressed mortgage holders. [38534/13]

Tax Code

Catherine Murphy

234. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance his views on the introduction of a small tax on net assessable household wealth above a basic €1m allowance; if he will provide estimates of what such a tax set at 1% could return to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38547/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Catherine Murphy

235. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance in respect of existing business and agricultural reliefs on capital acquisitions tax, his views on reducing the discount given on market value before the tax is ordinarily calculated from the present 90% as a revenue-generating measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38548/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

236. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Finance if a property can qualify for the exemption from the local property tax for permanently and totally incapacitated persons under the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2013 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38631/13]

Disabled Drivers Grant Eligibility

Tom Fleming

237. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the reason disabled drivers who purchase second hand vehicles are disallowed from participating in the disabled drivers and passengers tax relief scheme when VRT has previously been paid to the previous owner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38639/13]

VAT Rate Application

Robert Troy

238. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to leave VAT at 9%. [38742/13]

Tax Collection

David Stanton

239. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Finance the amount of windfall gains tax taken in by the Revenue Commissioners each year respectively since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38791/13]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Andrew Doyle

240. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department intend to take to ensure semi-State bodies and other organisations and bodies under the remit of his Department advertise vacant positions through the Public Appointments Service and publicjobs.ie that is in a clear and transparent manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39253/13]

Exchequer Savings

Mary Lou McDonald

241. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the full year saving to the Exchequer if all commercial semi State CEO's pay under the aegis of his Department were reduced by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39263/13]

Exchequer Savings

Mary Lou McDonald

242. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the full year saving to the Exchequer if all non-commercial State sponsored bodies CEO salaries under the aegis of his Department were reduced by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39272/13]

Exchequer Savings

Mary Lou McDonald

243. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the full year saving to the Exchequer if all State agency board members fees, non commercial State sponsored bodies and commercial semi State companies, under the aegis of his Department were reduced by 25%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39282/13]

English Language Training Organisations

Finian McGrath

244. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a regulatory body and or regulations in place covering the area of foreign language students studying here including payment made to host families. [37004/13]

School Transport Eligibility

Robert Troy

245. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider either the boundaries of the school transport scheme or the cost of transport to the child's chosen school (details supplied). [37777/13]

FÁS Training Programmes Data

Damien English

246. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of FÁS training courses currently in each of the north east counties, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan; the title and short description of each training course in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37831/13]

FÁS Training Programmes Data

Damien English

247. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that the number and type of training courses available in County Meath is sufficient to cater for the population base there; his plans to provide additional FÁS training courses in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37832/13]

FÁS Training Programmes Data

Damien English

248. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way resources are allocated to each of the counties in the north east, namely Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, for the provision of FÁS training courses; the way the population is taken into account in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37833/13]

School Transport Eligibility

Paul Connaughton

249. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) in County Galway recently enrolled in junior infants class is not entitled to free transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38386/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

250. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Bus Éireann make a profit from school transport in view of the existence of minutes of a meeting on 29 June 2011, which he attended, with Bus Éireann and his Department, where Bus Éireann chief executive and its company accountant explained that there was a fund containing a surplus of €2 million-€3 million from the payments received by Bus Éireann from his Department for delivery of the school transport scheme services. [38675/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

251. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the last year in which Bus Éireann made a profit from school transport. [38677/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

252. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish the FGS report commissioned in 2008-2009 that investigated direct and indirect charges for school transport. [38678/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

253. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the arrangement between Bus Éireann and his Department for the provision of school transport services is of a commercial nature. [38679/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

254. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any profit is made by Bus Éireann from his Department for the provision of school transport services; the amount of profit that has been made each year since 2004 in compliance with the EU Commission directives on transparency. [38680/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

255. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he personally ever met anybody who expressed an interest in tendering for the school transport services that Bus Éireann currently receives payment for from his Department. [38681/13]

School Transport Provision

Mary Lou McDonald

256. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons his Department gave to the EU Commission for not putting the school transport scheme out to public tender; if these reasons are the same reasons that were given to the Public Accounts Committee by the Secretary General in February 2013 and in the commercial High Court in the case taken by Student Transport Scheme Limited against his Department in 2012 in relation to the scheme. [38684/13]

School Accommodation

Derek Keating

257. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the over-capacity and ongoing demand for school places, the current status of the application for new accommodation, including timeframe for delivery of a new educational campus, for Educate Together Primary School, Kilcolgan, County Galway. [36805/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Ciara Conway

258. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information regarding the status of a Student Universal Support Ireland higher education grant application made by a person (details supplied) in County Waterford in 2012 with respect to the 2012-2013 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36809/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Ciara Conway

259. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information regarding the status of a Student Universal Support Ireland higher education grant application made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork in 2012 with respect to the 2012-2013 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36810/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Ciara Conway

260. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information regarding the status of a Student Universal Support Ireland higher education grant application made by a person (details supplied) in County Waterford in 2012 with respect to the 2012-2013 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36811/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Ciara Conway

261. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information regarding the status of a Student Universal Support Ireland higher education grant application made by a person (details supplied) in County Waterford in 2012 with respect to the 2012-2013 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36812/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Bernard Durkan

262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which qualification income guidelines affect eligibility for a higher education grant in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36847/13]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Dara Calleary

263. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive notification of the result of their Student Universal Support Ireland appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36853/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

264. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve a full time special needs assistant for a child (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36864/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

265. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve resource hours for a child (details supplied) in County Laois [36865/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

266. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the appropriate level of special needs assistants hours will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied), whose hours have now been reduced to 4.5 hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36868/13]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

267. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide figures as of 16 July 2013 of the number of persons that have Student Universal Support Ireland grants at an appeal stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36886/13]

Further Education and Training Programmes Funding

Bernard Durkan

268. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding options available to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who wishes to complete an apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36905/13]

School Textbooks Code of Practice

Terence Flanagan

269. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is a difference in price between the English and Irish versions of the same school book (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36911/13]

School Patronage

Andrew Doyle

270. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the patronage applications received by his Department for the new post-primary school set to open in North Wicklow in 2016; the number of applications received; when he expects to be in a position to make an announcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36919/13]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

271. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a Student Universal Support Ireland appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36921/13]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Michael Healy-Rae

272. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a Student Universal Support Ireland appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36922/13]

Teacher Statistics

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

273. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of individual primary schools and secondary schools where the number of English as an additional language teacher was above three; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36976/13]

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

274. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the list of Gaelscoileanna that have opened since 2008. [36977/13]

Student Grant Scheme Delays

Michael Healy-Rae

275. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that are still awaiting Student Universal Support Ireland grants on 16 July 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37001/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Arthur Spring

276. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for special educational needs supports has been processed by the National Council for Special Education in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry and if the school will be allocated more support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37018/13]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Tom Fleming

277. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite a student grant appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37060/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Tom Fleming

278. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite a student grant special rate top up grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37061/13]

European University Institute

Andrew Doyle

279. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the work Ireland has undertaken as the chair of the High Council of the European University Institute in Florence, Italy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37128/13]

Universities Global Rankings

Andrew Doyle

280. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question 223 on 18 July 2013 regarding U-Multirank, if he will confirm that all third level institutions here, universities and colleges, have registered their interest; if he will provide in tabular form which third level institutions have and have not registered to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37133/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Tom Fleming

281. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will immediately reverse the decision to cut special needs assistants hours by 15% as this decision will have serious implications for children with learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37144/13]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Finian McGrath

282. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an educational grant in respect of a person (details supplied). [37177/13]

State Examinations

Michael Healy-Rae

283. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers with one or two years' experience, who have fixed term regular part-time contracts that applied to the SEC for superintending positions and the number of same that were appointed; the percentage of all the superintendents that were retired teachers; if the retired teachers were ever Garda vetted, either for State exams work or at any point in their careers; the person who assesses the suitability of these retirees; if there is a medical confirmation of fitness for the work; the point at which after retirement age they are no longer eligible; is eligibility indefinite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37181/13]

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Michael Healy-Rae

284. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will protect the 40 years of progress and the work that has been done and the ethos of the Irish-medium schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37185/13]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Finian McGrath

285. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding preschool places in respect of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [37209/13]

Teacher Redeployment

Finian McGrath

286. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a person being placed on the supplementary special panel. [37214/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Andrew Doyle

287. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline all grants that are available to Irish students who have accepted postgraduate and masters level courses at universities in Northern Ireland for the 2013/2014 academic year; the criteria for availing of such a grant; if Student Universal Support Ireland are to cover such students for the 2013/2014 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37233/13]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Andrew Doyle

288. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form on the record of Dáil Éireann the new board members of each new of the 16 new Education and Training Boards that replaced the 33 Vocational Education Committees; to include the Cathaoirleach/Chairperson and Leas Cathaoirleach/Vice Chairperson of each new board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37234/13]

School Curriculum

Bernard Durkan

289. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department has developed a strategy to modernise the State education system to reflect a curriculum based on ethical education; if his Department's attention has been drawn to the educational benefits of the Educate Together programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37255/13]

Teacher Redeployment

Finian McGrath

290. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding transferring to the supplementary special school panel (details supplied). [37273/13]

Third Level Course Accreditation

Andrew Doyle

291. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will take steps and measures to ensure that third level education institutions here are not allowed to commence courses until they receive full and proper accreditation from the relevant bodies, here or elsewhere within the EU; the measures that the Higher Education Authority are taking to ensure cases where programmes are cancelled in the middle of a degree are not cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37276/13]

Transition Year Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

292. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list in tabular form the schools in 2011/12 that provided voluntary and compulsory transitional year programmes; the number of teachers it takes to implement transitional year in State funded schools and the estimated cost to the Department for implementing transitional year on an annual basis at post-primary level. [37315/13]

Teacher Training Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

293. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school teachers who participated in summer training schemes in 2011/12; the amount of days in lieu awarded to PS teachers who partook in these summer schools and the amount spent by the DES in providing temporary cover for those teachers who had received time in lieu. [37316/13]

Minimum School Entry Age

Jonathan O'Brien

294. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has discussed with Minister for Education in Northern Ireland the possibility of standardising the minimum age for when primary school students in both jurisdictions are eligible to transfer to post-primary school. [37317/13]

School Enrolments

Michael McGrath

295. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make changes to school enrolment policies at primary level; if the proposed changes will have a lead in period in terms of their implementation; when he expects legislation to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37332/13]

Residential Institutions

Clare Daly

296. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the operation of a group (details supplied) to help the survivors of industrial schools; the amount of State funds that have been given to this group; the audits or checks have been carried out on its activities, and the steps that are open to survivors who are not satisfied with the operation of this group. [37342/13]

School Curriculum

Andrew Doyle

297. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider implementing a review of the leaving certificate agricultural science syllabus, in view of the fact that 7,414 students sat the exam based on the syllabus in 2013, of which many aspects are in need of an update; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that demand for third-level agri-food courses increased at the Central Applications Office by 10% in 2013, representing the steepest rise in demand for courses; if he will consider implementing teacher guidelines for the subject; if he will refer the matter to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; when he expects to receive the review; when the new syllabus will be first examined by students in second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37360/13]

University Libraries

Michael Healy-Rae

298. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills from which publicly-funded university libraries the public is as a rule excluded. [37370/13]

University Libraries

Michael Healy-Rae

299. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the library budget for each of the universities here in each of the past ten years. [37371/13]

Access to Higher Education

Barry Cowen

300. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that students who have their Leaving Certificate results rechecked do not miss out on a third level place due to the long delay in awaiting these results. [37372/13]