Parliamentary questions

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions

Éamon Ó Cuív

496. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the reason the hedgerow and tree elements of the agri environment options scheme have been removed under the scheme launched on 26 September 2012; the estimated numbers affected by such a move; the estimated savings from this move; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42722/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions

Éamon Ó Cuív

497. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will outline the planting requirement under previous agri environment options schemes; the details of the planting requirement; if that requirement has been satisfied; the figures he has to clarify that the requirements were satisfied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42723/12]

Harbours and Piers Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

521. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the funding that was approved for Lettercallow Pier, County Galway, in the last number of years; if the provision of public lighting on the pier was included; when these works are likely to be carried out due to the need for lighting at this pier for the purposes of public safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43212/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

537. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the analysis that has taken place of the possible impact to the timber industry in the long term arising out of the proposal to sell Coillte forest crop; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43472/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

538. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if an analysis has been carried out on the future viability of Coillte Teoranta in the event of the forest crop being sold; the result of this analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43473/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

539. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if an analysis has been carried out in the number of positions that will be lost in Coillte in the event of the forest crop being sold; the result of this analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43474/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

540. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if the proceeds of any sale of the forest crop owned by Coillte will be used to clear the deficit of €122m in the Coillte pension fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43475/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

541. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if the responsibility to replant the forest will remain with Coillte in the event of the forest crop being sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43476/12]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Éamon Ó Cuív

542. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if it is intended to clear the debts of Coillte in part or in total in the event of the forest crop being sold; the amount of the debt reduction envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43477/12]

Seirbhísi Sláinte

Éamon Ó Cuív

582. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Sláinte cén fáth go bhfuil an tIonad Cúraim Lae in Áras Mhic Dara dúnta faoi láthair; cén fáth go bhfuil athbhreithniú á dhéanamh ar an Ionad Cúraim Lae; cén uair a osclófar an tIonad Cúraim Lae arís; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [42746/12]

Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals

Éamon Ó Cuív

9. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether Ireland’s economic interests are being protected in the current discussion surrounding proposals for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42317/12]

Illicit Trade in Tobacco

Éamon Ó Cuív

25. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to recent reports that more than €500m in revenue is lost annually as a result of tobacco smuggling; his views on whether these are accurate figures; his plans to take additional measures to combat such illegal activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42313/12]

Asylum Support Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

172. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current proposals regarding the future of Lisbrook Direct Provision Centre for Refugees, Galway; if all residents of Lisbrook who wish to remain in Galway will be facilitated in this way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42458/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund Management

Éamon Ó Cuív

150. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the total funds now held in the dormant accounts funds, the amount of this that is committed to projects; the amount of the statutory reserve held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42185/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund Management

Éamon Ó Cuív

151. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the net inflows of funds into the dormant account funds in the past three years; the amount sanctioned for nes projects in this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42186/12]

Single Payment Scheme Expenditure

Éamon Ó Cuív

174. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the amount of money that would be available for redistribution amongst lower income farmers if the currrent rules of the single payment were to be amended post 2012 to limit the payment per hectare to €500/ha and the maximum payment payable to any farmer under the single farm payment to €50,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42135/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

178. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when the details of the new agri-environment option scheme 3 will be available; the dates from which farmers can apply and the commencement date of the scheme; and when will the first payment be made under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42189/12]

Departmental Offices

Éamon Ó Cuív

179. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he intends to reorganise or close any Department offices in the city and county of Cork; if this is proposed, the nature of the changes being planned, the services to be withdrawn and the offices to close; the arrangements for re-location of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42195/12]

Sheepmeat Sector

Éamon Ó Cuív

185. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to ensure that there is a trade for light lambs in the factories, in view of the decision of at least one factory, not to kill any lambs under 15 kilos carcass weight, where in other years factories were accepting lambs down to nine kilos carcass weight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42214/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

187. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the estimated expenditure under the existing REP scheme and agri environment options scheme including the scheme announced last week for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42356/12]

Foireann Seirbhíse Sláinte

Éamon Ó Cuív

199. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Sláinte cén fáth go bhfuil cúig leaba fholmha in Áras Mhic Dara ar an gCeathrú Rua, Contae na Gaillimhe agus liosta fada feithimh ann de dhaoine ag fanacht le leaba sa teach altranais; an bhfuil sé i gceist aige foireann bhreise a chur ar fáil d’Áras Mhic Dara; cén uair a bheidh an fhoireann bhreise seo ar fáil; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [42165/12]

Job Creation

Éamon Ó Cuív

52. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the measures he has taken to support manufacturing industry here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41655/12]

Retail Sector Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

64. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the measures he has taken to help the retail industry here; if he will consider the establishment of a separate unit in his Department to deal with and coordinate the challenges facing the retail sector; if he will consider introducing a new strategy for supporting existing and new jobs in the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41654/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Éamon Ó Cuív

166. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills if for the purposes of determining if a third level student is the required distance from the college to be eligible for the non-adjacent grant, the distance is measured from the persons home to the gates of the college or to the college building the student habitually attends, particularly in view of the size of some of the campuses, the legal and regulatory basis for the method of measuring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41580/12]

Teacher Training Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

167. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to implement the recommendation made recently to him that teacher training will cease in colleges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41583/12]

Financial Services Regulation

Éamon Ó Cuív

291. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for her proposal that the new advisory service for mortgage holders in difficulty is to be confined to accountants; the reason financial brokers regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland are not included; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41709/12]

Irish Language Issues

Éamon Ó Cuív

336. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén líon daoine a lorg an pacáiste tacaíochta faoin scéim Ag Tógáil do Pháiste le Gaeilge, briste síos de réir contae, Gaeltachta agus iar-Ghaeltachta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [42038/12]

Local Authority Housing Rents

Éamon Ó Cuív

361. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans to change the terms of the shared ownership option schemes, in view of the fact that persons are now paying very high rent on the rental part of their property and also have large repayments on the purchase part of these properties that are only a fraction of the value they were at the time of purchase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41240/12]

Regeneration Projects Status

Éamon Ó Cuív

373. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he has provided assistance to Limerick regeneration conditional on local community participation by community representatives that live in the area due for regeneration and elected by the communities themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41584/12]

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

392. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the latest date for registration of private waste water systems under the Water Services Act 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42039/12]

Environmental Regulations

Éamon Ó Cuív

393. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if the Environmental Protection Agency has published the manual of standards that will be used by inspectors when examining private waste water systems under the Waste Water Act 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42040/12]

Environmental Regulations

Éamon Ó Cuív

394. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will publish all correspondence between himself, his Department and the Environmental Directorate of the European Union in relation to standards regarding private waste water systems here under the Water Services Act 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42041/12]

Traveller Accommodation

Éamon Ó Cuív

395. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if, in view of the difficulties in relation to housing members of the Traveller Community and the difficulties that arise at local authority level, any consideration has been given to setting up a national authority to oversee this issue and ultimately have responsibility for traveller housing; if this is been considered will at least half of the members of the board be travellers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42042/12]

Traveller Accommodation

Éamon Ó Cuív

396. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the steps he has taken to ensure adequate housing is available to members of the traveller community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42043/12]

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

397. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of private waste water systems registered bythe close of business on Friday 28 September2012 broken down on a local authority basis; the total estimated number of such systems in each local authority area; the percentage registered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42045/12]

Legal Services Regulation

Éamon Ó Cuív

439. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to amend the law to ensure that the Incorporated Law Society cannot make rules in relation to the number of solicitors involved in legal transactions in relation to persons and that such rule making would be the prerogative of the Oireachtas only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42044/12]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

449. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the steps he has taken to ensure that farmers who have enquiries regarding the single farm payment will receive a prompt reply; if adequate staffing resources have been provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41241/12]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

465. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of letters issued to farmers in relation to stocking density issues under the disadvantaged areas scheme; the number of applications for derogation received to date; the number granted; the number queried; the number refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41578/12]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

466. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the estimated savings calculated by his Department for estimates purposes from the changes in the disadvantaged area scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41579/12]

Fisheries Protection

Éamon Ó Cuív

467. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will details of any regulations or orders or policy papers issued or signed by him in 2012 in relation to the allocation of herring quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41582/12]

Youth Services Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

495. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding being provided to Dublin City Council for youth work compared to 2011; the reason for any change in the funding in view of the important work being done in this field; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41710/12]

National Lottery Funding Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

551. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a decision will issue on an application for funding made by an organisation (details supplied) in view of the vital work they are doing in assisting persons with financial difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41711/12]

Child Care Costs

Éamon Ó Cuív

4. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has had discussions with groups representing childcare providers regarding the impact that Minister Burton’s proposed sick pay proposals would have on the provision of childcare services and the additional costs such a measure could impose on these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40692/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

47. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he intends re-opening the agri environment options scheme to new applicants; the conditions that will apply to the scheme; the maximum payment that will be provided for in the scheme; if there will be any changes to the measures under the scheme compared to the last AEO scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40490/12]

Severe Weather Events

Éamon Ó Cuív

49. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions taken to date and the proposed actions to assist farmers affected by the bad weather this summer, in view of the effect also of the drought in the USA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40491/12]

Forestry Sector

Éamon Ó Cuív

53. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to sell off the Coillte Teo forest crop; the progress made regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40408/12]

School Transport Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

143. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial assistance available for parents towards the cost of transport when they are living in excess of five kilometres from the nearest primary school or from the nearest school transport pick up point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40237/12]

Citizenship Applications

Éamon Ó Cuív

306. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a decision will issue on applications for naturalisation lodged by persons (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in processing the applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40236/12]

Overseas Missions

Éamon Ó Cuív

6. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence the progress of the 106th battalion's mission with UNIFIL, in view of on-going violence in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39467/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Éamon Ó Cuív

40. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and secondary schools respectively that are in the band rating 2.1 and are not included in the five year plan; the name and roll number of each school; the estimated cost of the completion of all projects in this band; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39868/12]