Parliamentary questions

Teaching Council of Ireland

Olivia Mitchell

157. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the pay of a person (details supplied) whose membership of the Teaching Council lapsed over the summer due to a change of address, will be restored to include payment from the start of the teaching year after Garda vetting is processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41380/13]

Public Transport Issues

Olivia Mitchell

77. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current financial position within the CIE transport companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40787/13]

Public Transport Issues

Olivia Mitchell

102. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposals for the tendering out of public service obligation bus services as proposed by the National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40786/13]

Garda Vetting Applications

Olivia Mitchell

155. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce an e-vetting system; the speed with which it will cut the waiting times for persons on a community employment scheme awaiting Garda clearance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40072/13]

Proposed Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

346. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of draft legislation regarding the international education mark; if this legislation will cover third party study abroad providers including those that do not provide English language courses or grant degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38005/13]

Proposed Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

347. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed legislation regarding the international education mark will allow study abroad providers tied to non-Irish universities to obtain the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38006/13]

Proposed Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

348. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of registering for the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38007/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Olivia Mitchell

229. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending membership of the supplementary assignment panel for special needs assistants, SNAs, to those who were made redundant prior to 1 May 2013 and SNAs involved in service in 2012-2013 in a suitable capacity as the panel militates unfairly against such SNAs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33403/13]

Money Laundering

Olivia Mitchell

357. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on representations from the Irish Postmasters' Union seeking an increase in the threshold where anti-money laundering identification is needed in order to facilitate the sale of low value prize bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33101/13]

Light Rail Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

569. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of new trams that will be purchased to serve on the Luas cross-city service and their expected date of delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33145/13]

Hospital Charges

Olivia Mitchell

229. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify if, under the proposed legislation, patients holding private health insurance admitted to hospital through accident and emergency, occupying a public bed and in receipt of public hospital services, are liable to pay the full economic cost of the bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31005/13]

Overseas Development Issues

Olivia Mitchell

124. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the outcome of the EU Council meeting to determine an agreed EU position for a development framework post 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27696/13]

School Patronage

Olivia Mitchell

225. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the planned post primary school in the Stepaside area in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27177/13]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Olivia Mitchell

230. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the interest of fairness and to ensure access to the school of choice, if fee paying schools from a minority faith background could be exempt from any further increases in the pupil-teacher ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27241/13]

Public Sector Pensions Issues

Olivia Mitchell

336. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the portion of pension resulting from the payment of AVCs will be subject to the proposed public sector pension reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27255/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Olivia Mitchell

544. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that 80% of the local property tax collected in any one local authority area will be retained towards the cost of services provided in that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27247/13]

Local Government Fund

Olivia Mitchell

545. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is envisaged that the proceeds of the local property tax in a full year will be sufficient to replace the current Local Government Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27251/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Olivia Mitchell

564. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the formula that will be used to allocate the remaining 20% of the proceeds of the local property tax not retained by the local authorities in cases where the 80% is insufficient to cover their costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27250/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Olivia Mitchell

565. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of counties in which it is envisaged that the full amount collected in the local property tax will compensate for the loss of the amounts allocated in the current year from the local government fund and collected from the non-priniciple private residence charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27254/13]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Olivia Mitchell

376. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Protection if graduate nurses who have not applied for the two year contract jobs offered by the Health Service Executive will continue to qualify for jobseeker's allowance in view of the requirement that qualification requires that they be genuinely seeking work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25344/13]

Mobility Allowance Decision

Olivia Mitchell

670. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he has received an interim report from the group reviewing the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant as payments under both of these heads terminate in June; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25661/13]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Olivia Mitchell

244. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health in view of the recent breakthrough in stem cell research, when legislation can be expected governing such research, in view of the fact that the current lack of legislation may put patients at unnecessary risk and expense, deters investment and expertise and causes confusion among the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24541/13]

Government-Church Dialogue

Olivia Mitchell

137. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will be represented at the conference on 1-2 July reviewing the ICPD programme of action for our region of Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23854/13]

Public Sector Pensions Legislation

Olivia Mitchell

104. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if in the proposed public sector pensions reduction legislation a specific amendment will be included to exclude pension benefits resulting from contributions made on a purely commercial basis as for instance in the case where a former worker moves from the private sector to the public sector and transfers the private fund to the public one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22104/13]

Generic Drugs Substitution

Olivia Mitchell

385. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health f direction can be given to pharmacists or doctors to preclude substitution of the anti-epileptic drugs under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 when it is enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21197/13]

Public Sector Pensions Issues

Olivia Mitchell

125. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the portion of pension resulting from the payment of AVCs will be subject to the proposed public sector pension reduction;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20681/13]

Public Sector Pensions Issues

Olivia Mitchell

126. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in the proposed pension reduction legislation, a pension above the threshold, that is, €33,000, will be subject to the reduction on all of the pension or just on the portion in excess of the threshold €32,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20682/13]

Drugs Payment Scheme Administration

Olivia Mitchell

207. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that persons (details supplied) in County Dublin will receive the refund owed to them by the Health Service Executive due to an overpayment of the monthly €120 prescribed by the drug payment scheme over the periods from March to December 2011 and January to August 2012, in view of the fact that at that time the guidelines for the drug payment scheme clearly stated that a person or family only had to pay €120 each month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by that person or their family in that month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19517/13]

Medicinal Products Expenditure

Olivia Mitchell

212. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the annual cost per patient for the supply of Kalydeco, the cystic fibrosis drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19529/13]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Olivia Mitchell

91. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been taken to continue to increase the pupil teacher ratio in fee paying schools until it reaches 28:1 being the option included in the McCarthy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19346/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Olivia Mitchell

92. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the permanent school building in respect of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19347/13]

Personal Insolvency Act

Olivia Mitchell

498. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if it is possible, under the Personal Insolvency Act, to include other professions such as financial brokers to act as personal insolvency practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18756/13]

Tax Code

Olivia Mitchell

225. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the impact the tax change on maternity benefit will have on the maternity benefit of women who receive no top-up from the employer and are dependent solely on statutory maternity benefit. [16167/13]

Budget Timetable

Olivia Mitchell

331. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the new implications of the two-pack regulations, he will indicate the date in September or October on which the draft budget will be published; if this draft budget will be debated and/or voted on by the Oireachtas; if the final budget and Finance Bill will pass through the Houses of the Oireachtas in early December 2013 and February 2014 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17316/13]

International Agreements

Olivia Mitchell

8. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if it is envisaged that Ireland may soon agree a double taxation agreement with Taiwan in view of the fact that many of our trading partners from both the EU and elsewhere have already done so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15421/13]

International Agreements

Olivia Mitchell

9. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will respond positively to the invitation from the new EU ambassador to Taiwan to afford occasional space to the Irish ambassador to Tokyo in the EU offices in Taiwan to facilitate Irish attendance at the regular trade meetings held there by countries which have trade and diplomatic missions in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15422/13]

Forestry Sector

Olivia Mitchell

477. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to publish the report on the consultation on the strategy plan on forestry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15066/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Olivia Mitchell

550. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the 2000 plus respondents to the consultation on a proposal for an EU Directive on the Tobacco Products Directive that were for or against the changes proposed by the EU Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14946/13]

Hospital Acquired Infections

Olivia Mitchell

153. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been taken to tackle MRSA in Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, County Offaly; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14291/13]

Property Taxation Application

Olivia Mitchell

185. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance the reason persons who adapted a home for use by a disabled person prior to 2001 are excluded from the relief offered to those by section 6 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14153/13]

Property Taxation Application

Olivia Mitchell

54. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if refunds will be paid to homeowners where it comes to light that an overpayment of property tax was paid in any year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13236/13]

Property Taxation Collection

Olivia Mitchell

55. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if the date on which the property tax for 2014 becomes payable is January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13237/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Olivia Mitchell

57. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure the Irish bank Resolution Corporation liquidator meets with staff to discuss their issues as repeated cancellations of such meetings is causing real concern; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13300/13]

Public Sector Pensions

Olivia Mitchell

86. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if college lecturers retiring when the teaching year ends in June but for whom official retirement is the start of the new term in September will be exempt from the loss of pension and lump sum in view of the fact that they are technically finished work before the Croke Park II measures come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11743/13]

Alternative Energy Projects

Olivia Mitchell

144. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to put the REFIT scheme in place in time for the 2013 harvest, due shortly and without which the large personal investment by farmers would be lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12006/13]

IBRC Staff

Olivia Mitchell

88. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the situation surrounding the pensions of the former Irish Bank Resolution Corporation employees and the extent to which the fund is impacted, and if any clarity can be given to employees at this stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10867/13]

National Museum

Olivia Mitchell

162. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which he received sanction for the post of director of the National Museum from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the date on which he conveyed that sanction to the chair of the National Museum; the date on which the post was advertised by the National Museum and the date from which the post is to be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9202/13]

The Gathering Initiatives

Olivia Mitchell

174. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the Gathering 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8397/13]

Sale of State Assets

Olivia Mitchell

181. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the implications of a takeover of Aer Lingus by Ryanair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8396/13]

Passport Applications

Olivia Mitchell

213. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider issuing a new passport to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8797/13]