Parliamentary questions

Hare Coursing

Clare Daly

130. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will bring forward regulations to outlaw or suspend hare coursing during periods of freezing weather, snow or hail and heavy winds, as these conditions lead to a sharp increase in harm caused to dogs and hares. [52053/13]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

143. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action that will be taken to deal with those responsible for the burning to death of a horse in Tallaght last week, as highlighted by the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. [52216/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Clare Daly

144. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason an index register of domestically adopted children is available, for public scrutiny, but internationally adopted children's records are closed; and her plans to change this situation. [52060/13]

Children in Care

Clare Daly

145. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the nationalities of children in care, on a county basis, for the past ten years. [52061/13]

Residential Institutions

Clare Daly

158. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of mother and baby homes that were inspected in the State prior to and after the passing of the 1952 Act; under what authority were they carried out and the actions taken; and where the records of such inspections can be found and viewed. [52059/13]

Middle East Issues

Clare Daly

41. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will exert pressure on the European Union to take action against Israel for its breaches of international law, relating to the collective punishment which is being served to citizens of Gaza as a result of the blockade; and if he will seek agreement that upgraded trade relations and research programmes for Israel should be halted until the Rafah crossing is open and the people of Gaza given freedom of movement. [51697/13]

Tax Yield

Clare Daly

60. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will verify the accuracy of correspondence (details supplied) relating to income tax yield. [51353/13]

School Transport Issues

Clare Daly

98. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements that have been made by his Department to ensure the protection of bus operators who have reported corruption in the administration of school transport. [51354/13]

Pyrite Remediation Programme

Clare Daly

275. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government noting that Homebond prior to the establishment of an insurance backed structural guarantee in 2008 collected significant funds, and now has a surplus of €25 million, and in view of the lapse since 2008 of elements having a five year guarantee that there will be no call on that surplus other than possibly isolated structural damage cases, his views on whether the Homebond surplus should be handed over to the Pyrite Resolution Board to fund remedial works on houses damaged by pyrite-induced heave which Homebond had guaranteed against major strucural damage prior to walking away from the so-called guarantee in 2011. [51811/13]

Magdalen Laundries

Clare Daly

280. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason he is denying health care to nine survivors of the Magdalen laundries based in the United States. [51355/13]

Sentencing Policy

Clare Daly

303. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he will take to deal with excessively lenient sentencing in rape and sexual assault cases, including the possibility of mandatory custodial sentences. [51783/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Clare Daly

391. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the way in which he proposes to generate €5 million from increasing licence fees for tobacco retailers in view of the fact that these retailers paid a one off fee of €50 and many small operators have very tight profit margins. [51666/13]

HSE Investigations

Clare Daly

441. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health where the responsibility lies for Dáil Éireann being misled by his response to parliamentary questions tabled by me on seven occasions, between 19 May 2011 and 19 November 2013, in which he stated he had been advised that the circumstances surrounding a patient's death were investigated by the Health Service Executive under the national incident protocol, yet at the resumed inquest into the death of a person (details supplied), it emerged that the only investigation was an internal one, which was carried out by the staff of the Rotunda Hospital, appointed by the master of that hospital who approved the report between two and four weeks before the members of the review team signed off on it; and the action he proposes to take regarding same. [51734/13]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Clare Daly

24. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many social welfare recipients are having to subsidise their rent by paying a substantial proportion of their income to make up the difference between the rent supplement and the rent due, as a result of the gap between increasing rents in many areas and unrealistic ceilings set by her Department; and the way she proposes to deal with same. [50612/13]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Clare Daly

41. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will specify in relation to outstanding liabilities of self-employed persons to access a State contributory pension, if it is outstanding PRSI contributions only that must be paid to qualify, or PRSI and income tax liabilities, or PRSI and income tax and any other tax liabilities, as many citizens have received contradictory letters from her Department and the Revenue Commissioners on this matter and clarity is required. [50613/13]

Road Safety Strategy

Clare Daly

182. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will change the 120 km per hour speed limit on motorways to 130 km per hour. [51124/13]

Jobs Protection

Clare Daly

12. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will ensure that the skilled and profitable Pratt and Whitney Aerospace operation, which employs over 100 workers and has operated successfully for decades in Dublin, continues its maintenance operation here. [50318/13]

Jobs Protection

Clare Daly

32. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he has taken to assist in protecting the 400 jobs under threat at Lufthansa Technik. [50320/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

153. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the criteria used by the assistant secretary of his Department in selecting a person (details supplied) to fill the post of Sligo county manger in a temporary capacity from 4 November 2013 until a permanent appointment is made; if recommendations were received or references sought regarding this person's ability to carry out their duties as temporary county manager; if other candidates were considered for the temporary position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51101/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Clare Daly

104. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the anomaly that full-time special needs assistants contracts are specified by the National Council for Special Education as 32 hours, but the contract of employment specifies the working hours as the hours the school is open to students, that is, 28 hours and 20 minutes for a primary school. [50114/13]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Clare Daly

113. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 342, 343 and 350 of 5 November 2013, if he will confirm that the financial implications regarding the annual student contribution for apprentices being pro rata, in relation to aviation apprentices where a model has been agreed with employers which requires them attending college for a full year, could see students being faced with fees of €4,890. [50113/13]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Clare Daly

117. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the decision to change the funding model for apprentices before the review of the Irish apprenticeship training model which he has initiated has been completed. [50112/13]

Special Educational Needs Data

Clare Daly

119. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any analysis has been undertaken into the cumulative effect of cutbacks in learning supports at primary level for children with special needs, Traveller supports and support for children for whom English is not their first language in terms of the impact on teachers' ability to manage the class and deliver a level of education that meets the needs of all. [50115/13]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Clare Daly

167. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance regarding Irish Bank Resolution Corporation mortgage holders, if he will ensure transparency and information on the potential buyers and the price the mortgages are being sold at, proper communication, and not letters from the liquidator which are impossible to understand for ordinary consumers; for persons to be allowed to match the best offer being made for mortgages by any third parties and for those with unsustainable mortgages to be allowed to sell their home and have any mortgage shortfall written off or settled over a very short period. [50354/13]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Clare Daly

168. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that Irish Bank Resolution Corporation and the purchasers of its mortgages offer the exact same consumer protections offered by mainstream banks, namely, the code of conduct on mortgage arrears, the Central Bank's targets for offering long-term solutions to those in arrears, that is, split mortgages, and the Financial Services Ombudsman Service. [50355/13]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Clare Daly

169. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure in regard to Irish Bank Resolution Corporation mortgages that any purchaser only changes mortgage interest rates in line with changes in the ECB rate to prevent a potential purchaser from hiking up rates to unsustainable levels. [50356/13]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Clare Daly

170. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will encourage AIB, PTSB and other State owned banks to be flexible in offering remortgage deals to Irish Bank Resolution Corporation mortgage holders. [50357/13]

School Accommodation

Clare Daly

232. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a permanent extension to a school (details supplied) in County Dublin. [50474/13]

Adoption Services Provision

Clare Daly

564. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has instructed the Adoption Authority of Ireland to carry out an extensive audit of all of its files and all accredited bodies as part of an investigation into seeking information about illegal adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50159/13]

Health Services Staff Data

Clare Daly

602. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the total number of general practitioners, GMS and non-GMS, currently working here; the number of GPs who qualified from the training schemes in the past five years still working here; the number of GPs that will be needed to provide universal health care to the population by 2016; and the plans in place to meet the shortfall. [50341/13]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Clare Daly

603. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health his views on the progress of the working group headed by Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, to look at general practitioner recruitment issues; if representations have been sought from the IMO, ICGP and NEG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50342/13]

Health Services Staff Data

Clare Daly

604. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health in relation to the 217 general practitioners who have taken up GMS lists since the opening of the scheme, the number already working as assistants in a practice; and the number of GPs that have applied for the GMS lists that were advertised in the last year. [50343/13]

Public Service Contracts

Clare Daly

13. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will require all public bodies to refuse contracts to companies who have left subcontractors unpaid, despite receiving payment for the work that had been undertaken by the subcontractor on their behalf. [49498/13]

Legislative Measures

Clare Daly

21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he intends to bring forward the urgent legislation needed in relation to the system of commercial rates to deal with cases where a mistake was made on the original assessment but not appealed, and subsequent owners being bound by that original valuation even though it is accepted by all that it was an error. [49499/13]

Tax Collection

Clare Daly

30. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken to deal with a situation (details supplied) where it was alleged that the State was left short of substantial tax payments as a result of false and improper tax returns by this housing body. [49901/13]

Wind Energy Generation

Clare Daly

133. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 12 November 2013, the total costs of the subsidies to wind farms each year; and the amount the average consumer or commercial bill will be. [49909/13]

Fire Safety Regulations

Clare Daly

138. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to the contradiction between recent statements by Fingal County Council, based on visual inspections, that there were no substantive issues in relation to fire safety in the Martello estate in Balbriggan and the professional opinion of persons (details supplied), based on opening-up surveys, that there were serious fire safety concerns, the actions open to residents who need their homes made safe. [49837/13]

Voluntary Housing Sector

Clare Daly

142. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the oversight that occurs of voluntary housing bodies in relation to their financing; and his views on whether it is appropriate that a voluntary housing body would undertake commercial loans and expenditure from its capital budget to purchase and refurbish offices when it already has offices which remain empty. [49902/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied), recently appointed to the post of acting Sligo county manager has refused to carry out their statutory duty to ensure that meetings of Sligo Borough Council take place; if he will now remove the person from the post of temporary county manager and appoint an appropriate official who will comply with the Local Government Act 2001 and ensure that meetings of Sligo Borough Council are convened in accordance with the Local Government Act and in compliance with the council's standing orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49991/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

148. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the mayor of Sligo, in accordance with section 10 of the Local Government Act 2001, requested a meeting of Sligo Borough Council for Monday, 18 November; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that (details supplied) the acting Sligo county manager has refused to act on the mayor's request; the legislation or regulations that will be introduced to ensure that county managers comply with the laws enacted by the Parliament of the people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49992/13]

Horse Racing Industry

Clare Daly

186. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 13 of 14 November 2013, and his denial that the Indecon report stated that Exchequer funding to horse racing was unsustainable, if he will further explain the meaning of the direct quotes from the report (details supplied). [49924/13]

Health Services

Clare Daly

205. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health with regard to the response he received from the Health Service Executive in relation to a person (details supplied), if he will inform the Health Service Executive that contrary to their statement that they had not received a referral to the north Dublin early intervention team for the child in question and that their waiting list was not closed, that such a referral was in fact made and therefore to instruct the HSE to amend this error and deal with the child's needs. [49866/13]

Freedom of Information Legislation

Clare Daly

104. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform where the index of precedents requirement is covered in the Freedom of Information Bill 2013. [49774/13]

Public Sector Pensions

Clare Daly

142. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in a reply to a parliamentary question on 27 September 2012, he divulged that the payments to the Westmeath county manager who retired on 3 January 2006 consisted of a lump sum-gratuity payment of €200,000 and an annual pension of €51,000; and that the payments to the Monaghan county manager who retired on 30 November 2010 consisted of a lump sum payment of €201,000 and an annual pension of €68,290; in a reply to a parliamentary question on 4 July 2013 he divulged that the payments to the Wexford county manager who retired on 30 November 2012 consisted of a lump sum payment of €202,000 and an annual pension of €67,548; if he will now divulge the payments made to the Sligo county manager who retired on 3 November 2013; the reason the Sligo county manager received a much larger sum than the aforementioned county managers; the type of bonus system that was in place to ensure increased payments for the retiring Sligo county manager; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49781/13]

Public Sector Pensions

Clare Daly

143. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform told Dáil Éireann that payments to everybody the public purse should be known; if his Department received any form of representations or communications from the County and City Managers Association and-or the Local Government Management Agency requesting that payments to retiring county managers should not be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49782/13]

Mountain Rescue Teams

Clare Daly

220. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and the Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team becoming the first rescue teams to carry out 100 operations in one calendar year, if he will consider allocating funding and extra supports for their mountain rescue teams. [49721/13]

Human Rights Issues

Clare Daly

111. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will contact the Colombian authorities as a matter of urgency and demand an independent and rigorous investigation into the assassination of Cesar Garcia, a farmer and environmental activist opposed to the La Colosa gold mining project and demand that the safety and security of community activists who oppose this project are guaranteed. [48802/13]

Tax Reliefs Eligibility

Clare Daly

161. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider allowing apprentices to apply for tax relief on tuition fees as a result of the changes in the funding requirements being faced by apprentices during their time in institutes of technology. [48824/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Clare Daly

163. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain the source of the error with regard to the property tax and the fact that Revenue will have to refund many persons who were not first-time buyers; and if he will outline the full amount of the refund to be paid. [48827/13]

Tax Yield

Clare Daly

222. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money collected by the Revenue Commissioners from taxi companies in VAT collected on hand held radios issued to drivers, on an annual basis for the past five years, and the number of companies involved. [49522/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Clare Daly

227. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an apprentice will now be able to avail of a student grant as a result of the changes in the payments introduced in budget 2014. [48823/13]

School Funding

Clare Daly

257. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is permissible for schools to charge a €110 for mock exams papers to be corrected by an external examiner; and if he will consider bringing in a rule that would prevent such activity from occurring as it obviously places an enormous burden on hard pressed families. [49553/13]

Higher Education Courses Provision

Clare Daly

258. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to develop access to third level education particularly at masters and doctorate levels for mature students. [49555/13]

Youth Guarantee

Clare Daly

348. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the proposed €200 million (details supplied) for the youth jobs guarantee fund over the next two years is certain to be implemented; and the way funding will be obtained. [49372/13]

Youth Guarantee

Clare Daly

349. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobs and training places that will be created from the proposed €200 million for the youth jobs guarantee. [49373/13]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

514. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 727 of 5 November 2013, in the context of his statement that US military aircraft passing through Shannon have sovereign immunity, the other states that have been granted such immunity; and the reason the Garda thinks that it has a role in respect of these aircraft. [48926/13]

Garda Investigations

Clare Daly

530. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason, in view of allegations that have arisen from a television programme (details supplied), no investigation or lines of inquiry have taken place by the relevant authorities. [49374/13]

Court Records

Clare Daly

538. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to make audio recordings of court proceedings available to the public in an accessible manner in view of the fact that substantial investment took place in all courthouses to make this possible. [49520/13]

Court Records

Clare Daly

539. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the fact that it is private companies which operate the stenographer system in the courts; and the remedies that are open to citizens when the accuracy of a transcript is disputed. [49521/13]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

563. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that draft regulations under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, will not allow the docking of tails and removal of dew claws of dogs under four days old without anaesthetic for cosmetic purposes, as this is completely prohibited by the Veterinary Council of Ireland. [48843/13]

Horticulture Sector

Clare Daly

611. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his policies regarding the work of Teagasc and the role in which it is supposed to be engaged in terms of developing horticulture here, with particular reference to the fact that plant science in Ireland is rated below that of Romania, according to an EU funded survey conducted in NUIG, although we are uniquely positioned to develop a very labour intensive vibrant horticultural sector. [49569/13]

Health Services Staff Data

Clare Daly

625. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will explain the relationship between the Right of Place survivor group and the Health Service Executive; if he will confirm that employees of Right of Place are direct employees of the HSE. [49267/13]

Community Care Provision

Clare Daly

636. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if community physiotherapy services in County Kildare have been reduced, or have been terminated; if community physiotherapy services in north Kildare have been reduced, or have been terminated; if funding for community physiotherapy services has been reduced in Kildare or in north Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48883/13]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Clare Daly

637. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the protocol in relation to the calling of emergency services, with particular reference to an incident (details supplied); and the remedy open to the citizen in this case. [48884/13]

Hospital Investigations

Clare Daly

638. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if all 11 recommendations following Health Service Executive investigations following the death of a person (details supplied) including No. 7, have been fully implemented in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin. [48890/13]

Hospital Investigations

Clare Daly

639. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, has updated its guidelines on the management of intrauterine death to include lowering the dosage of Misoprostol to reflect recommended standards in RCOG. [48891/13]

Hospital Investigations

Clare Daly

640. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the RCPI-IOG guidelines regarding the use and dosage of Misoprostol were not implemented, as per Health Service Executive recommendations. [48892/13]

Child Safety

Clare Daly

652. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that toothpaste containing fluoride has a child-proof cap and carries a poison warning. [48986/13]

Horse Racing Industry Funding

Clare Daly

13. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he ignores the Indecon report commissioned by his Department in 2012 which stated that the grant to the greyhound and horse racing industries was unsustainable; and the reason he chose to increase their subsidy to €54 million. [48142/13]

Mink Farms

Clare Daly

25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps that have been implemented to improve standards with regard to the keeping of minks, with reference to the damage that can be done to the surrounding environment when minks are released or escape from captivity. [48141/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Clare Daly

38. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will change the date of 1 November being the effective date for payment of property tax in the following year as this disenfranchises persons who sell a home during November and December who will not be living in that dwelling in the following year. [48607/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

116. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the north west assistant general secretary of the IMPACT trade union which represents the majority of staff in the Sligo local authorities said last week that the appointment of a new Sligo County Manager provides the incumbent with an opportunity to reconnect with council staff and the citizens of Sligo; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the union states that it will be encouraging a more open and inclusive style of management; if he will take steps to encourage the management team in Sligo County Council to become more open and inclusive in its style of management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48647/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

117. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 11 of the 12 serving councillors on Sligo Borough Council boycotted the retirement function for the outgoing Sligo County Manager; if an official from his Department represented the Department at the function; if he will identify the official who represented his Department; the purpose of his Department representative attending the function; the total costs incurred by his Department in respect of salary, overtime payment, travel and subsistence and so on for the said official; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48648/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

118. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that under the management of the Sligo County Manager (details supplied) and their management team, Sligo County Council has had the highest overall deficit balance of all county and city councils as outlined in its respective annual financial statements; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Sligo County Council had a deficit of €2,815,649 on its revenue account for the year ending 31 December 2008, a deficit of €3,232,961 for the year ending 31 December 2009, a deficit of €2,463,505 for the year ending 31 December 2010, a deficit of €2,973,000 for the year ending 31 December 2011 and a deficit of €2,455,000 for the year ending 31 December 2012; that the council's total revenue-capital debt is now in excess of €80 million and growing; if he will consider amending the Local Government Act 2001 to allow the new County Manager to appoint a different management team when they take up their appointment with Sligo County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48649/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

119. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will elaborate on his recent statement on RTE’s "Prime Time" programme when he said Sligo is one of the reasons we are reforming local authorities; if at any stage his Department expressed dissatisfaction with the Sligo County Manager and the council management team’s regarding the management of the council’s finances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48650/13]

Local Authority Staff Remuneration

Clare Daly

120. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of the gross lump sum, the gross severance gratuity and annual pension that has been paid to the retired Sligo County Manager (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48651/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

125. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the only member of council staff obliged to attend a statutory meeting of a local authority is a county-city manager who designates themselves meetings administrator; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the formal calling of a council meeting must be done by notice from a meetings administrator; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that on a number of occasions when the Sligo County Manager wanted meetings of Sligo Borough Council to take place he designated himself as meetings administrator and issued notice for meetings in accordance with the Local Government Act 2001; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that on occasions when the County Manager did not want meetings of the borough council to take place he designated another official who refused to carry out the duties of meetings administrator; if regulations can be introduced to ensure that a county manager carries out his-her statutory duties in respect of the calling of meetings of a local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48722/13]

Local Authorities Management

Clare Daly

126. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of meetings with his Department officials, a person (details supplied), the outgoing Chairperson of the County and City Managers Association, participated in; the dates of the said meetings; the purpose of each meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48723/13]

Health Services Issues

Clare Daly

202. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the supports available to a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [48784/13]

HIQA Investigations

Clare Daly

22. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will order a Health Information and Quality Authority investigation into the circumstances of the care of a person (details supplied) in line with the HIQA investigation into the death of Savita Halappanavar. [48053/13]

Maternal Mortality

Clare Daly

24. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive and its national director of quality and patient safety continue to quote the undercounted figures on maternal mortality collected by the Central Statistics Office in order to claim that our figures are among the best internationally, while not using the actual figures on maternal mortality collected by Maternal Death Enquiry Ireland, the officially commissioned body tasked with monitoring these figures accurately. [48054/13]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

41. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Canadian C130 Hercules aircraft which was present in Shannon on 6 November at gate 42 was carrying passengers or cargo. [48427/13]

Adoption Records Provision

Clare Daly

25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location where the records from the 42 mothers and baby homes that operated here and handled tens of thousands of adoptions over the decades are held; the amount of information held by the Health Service Executive in Glanmire; and the other information that is held in Glanmire, which can be made available to persons tracing their birth mothers or their children. [47752/13]

School Patronage

Clare Daly

122. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the patronage of the new Balbriggan second level school has been decided; and if not, when a decision will issue. [47799/13]

Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

153. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to protect subcontractors whose companies are jeopardised by the main contractor failing to pay their invoices in a timely manner, undermining the viability of these companies and threatening the jobs in them. [47805/13]

Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

154. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to protect subcontractors in cases of large State contracts where the main contractor is fully paid, but leaves subcontractors unpaid jeopardising these smaller companies and their employees. [47804/13]

Employment Opportunities

Clare Daly

201. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection if letters were sent out by her Department to applicants on jobseeker's allowance requesting their CVs to apply for positions available for qualified tradespeople in Canada; and the action she will take regarding same. [47996/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

Clare Daly

245. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to whom the benefits from the Grid 25 scheme will accrue, with particular reference to the benefit that will accrue to private owners; and if private companies which set up wind farms are required to make a proportion of the output for the national grid as a public service obligation. [47801/13]

National Wind Energy Strategy

Clare Daly

246. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason wind farms are not being located offshore, eliminating the need for putting turbines across the land and the resulting electrical infrastructure of pylons and minimising the impact on communities. [47802/13]

Fire Safety Regulations

Clare Daly

272. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken to ensure that Fingal County Council has exercised its enforcement powers under the Fire Safety Act 1981 in relation to dwellings at Martello in Balbriggan in view of the serious fire safety breaches and the fact that residents in Foxford Court had to be evacuated; and if he is satisfied that the local authority has fulfilled its responsibilities in relation to fire safety compliance. [47806/13]

Courts Service

Clare Daly

307. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the entitlements a citizen has to access all court records and papers relating to a case to which he or she was a party a number of decades ago; the way he or she may access that information; and his plans to improve this access. [47807/13]

Adoption Records Provision

Clare Daly

390. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will indicate in relation to cases where the identity of the birth mother has been established, the way information can be withheld on the grounds of protecting her identity. [47800/13]

Adoption Services Provision

Clare Daly

391. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will instruct the Adoption Authority of Ireland to de-register an organisation (details supplied) in view of the fact that it has been involved in organising illegal adoptions; and if she will conduct an inspection of all of its files as part of a thorough investigation into its operation. [47857/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Clare Daly

416. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some people are losing out on their medical cards because they are under the care of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service for assistance with mortgage arrears and appear to have false positive income bringing them over the limit of a medical card; and the action he will take regarding same. [47995/13]

Road Projects

Clare Daly

510. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will sanction funding to Fingal County Council to enable it to complete the new link road near Moylaragh in Balbriggan which is ready to go to tender and urgently needed for road safety in the area. [47803/13]

Public Transport Subsidies

Clare Daly

25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there has been a cost benefit analysis conducted into the impact of planned further reductions in Government subvention to CIE and the consequential fare hikes being imposed on passengers. [46851/13]

Company Law

Clare Daly

85. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason he has not made the legislative changes requested by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement relating to the negative impact on its ability to tackle white collar crime as a result of the insertion of section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act into section 77 of the Finance Act 2011, which has restricted the ability of the ODCE to obtain, and where obtained, use certain information from the Revenue Commissioners. [47618/13]

Consumer Protection

Clare Daly

86. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance his plans to regulate or outlaw the practice of money lending. [47619/13]

Residential Institutions

Clare Daly

108. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the fact that a number of concerns have been raised about the State funded groups which claim to represent institutional abuse victims not actually reflecting the views of survivors, if he will facilitate and attend a national meeting with the survivors of abuse in relation to the statutory fund, the idea of a memorial and the way their files will be dealt with. [47617/13]

Defence Forces Family Clinics

Clare Daly

20. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence if he has carried out a cost benefit analysis into the decision to cut medical services to the 484 families of serving soldiers who rely on same; and if he plans to offer the families affected some alternative service to alleviate the hardship that will ensue when this facility is taken from them. [46644/13]