Parliamentary questions

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

160. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50648/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

180. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded to contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50643/12]

Public Sector Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

252. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50642/12]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Seán Kyne

306. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to review the Student Universal Support Ireland grant system as operated by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee before the start of the next academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50128/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

308. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50641/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

325. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50129/12]

Public Sector Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

334. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50645/12]

Public Sector Reform Implementation

Seán Kyne

419. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50647/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

435. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the public service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the public service agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50639/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

510. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50646/12]

Public Sector Reform Implementation

Seán Kyne

517. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50640/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

567. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded in contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50637/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

Seán Kyne

582. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded ion contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50638/12]

Social Workers Register

Seán Kyne

669. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the way the proposed fee for the registration of social workers which will be required under the new regulations of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act will be calculated; if it will be in proportion with other such registration fees for other professions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50130/12]

EU Directives

Seán Kyne

670. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the progress made on the implementation of the EU Directive 2010/63/EU on the use of animals for scientific and medical research purposes; and if he will confirm if the existing primary legislation here, which is in many aspects stronger than the provisions of the EU Directive, will be retained in the process of incorporating the Directive. [50132/12]

Hospital Services

Seán Kyne

673. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will consider establishing a Huntington's Disease clinic in Galway University Hospitals which would comprise a neurologist, a HD specialist nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, dietician, social worker and neurophysiologist and significantly assist not only persons who have been diagnosed with the condition but also their families, particularly children who are at risk of inheriting the condition. [50201/12]

Public Sector Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

674. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded ion contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50644/12]

Public Sector Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

691. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the opportunities that persons in lower grades of the Public Service have been afforded ion contributing to the reforms of the public service as sought in the Public Service Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50649/12]

Teachers' Remuneration

Seán Kyne

152. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which a teacher would have to have graduated from a Masters degree course and have commenced a Masters degree programme to be eligible for the qualification allowance which has been discontinued. [49304/12]

Tobacco Smuggling

Seán Kyne

238. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if Customs and Excise or the Revenue Commissioners have conducted an assessment on the impact the introduction of plain or standardised packaging for cigarettes here would have on the illicit cigarette trade here; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Department of Health supports international developments in relation to plain or standardised packaging for tobacco products; if he or his officials or the Revenue Commissioners have participated in any consultation with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive regarding the proposed EU Tobacco Products Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48147/12]

Public Procurement Tenders

Seán Kyne

341. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy of his Department and schools in the procurement of stationary for use in schools; if there has been any instruction issued that procurement should be centralised; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some vocational education committees are following a policy of centralisation for procurement which will adversely impact on local stationary suppliers. [48125/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Seán Kyne

342. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the provisions of funding for a school (details supplied) in County Galway which has supplied his Department with all necessary documentation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48131/12]

Child Benefit Payments

Seán Kyne

561. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection the total expenditure on the child benefit scheme in each of the past ten years, from 2002 to date in 2012. [48120/12]

Child Benefit Payments

Seán Kyne

562. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection when the child benefit scheme was first introduced and; the purpose and objectives of the scheme. [48123/12]

Tobacco Smuggling

Seán Kyne

800. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of his public statement in the aftermath of the recent Crumlin shooting that the gangs responsible were likely to be involved in cigarette smuggling, if he intends to conduct a review with the Gardai on the measures they have in place for enforcement against this ongoing problem; if his attention been drawn to the fact that the Department of Health supports international developments in relation to plain or standardised packaging for tobacco products; if he will confirm whether he has already, or will in the future, enquire with the Gardai whether the introduction of plain or standardised packaging for cigarettes here could have a negative impact on the illicit cigarette trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48112/12]

Early Childhood Education

Seán Kyne

965. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to extend the early childhood care and education scheme in terms of the hours provided and for an additional year in view of the evidence of the clear benefits of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48133/12]

Illicit Trade in Tobacco

Seán Kyne

1110. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question 245 on the 12 of July 2012, if his support of international developments in relation to plain or standardised packaging for tobacco products is conditional on Irish Customs or Revenue assessments on the negative impact the introduction of such a measure could have on the illicit cigarette trade here; if he will confirm whether the high level of illicit cigarette trade here is negatively impacting on the effectiveness of anti-tobacco public health policies currently in place such as high taxation, the point of sale display ban and age verification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48111/12]

Suicide Prevention

Seán Kyne

1114. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the cessation in funding for the applied suicide intervention skills training course at NUI Galway; and if alternative funding will be found to ensure the resumption of this training course which helps combat the risk of suicide [48128/12]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Eligibility

Seán Kyne

1115. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress made in the extension of general practitioner cards to those persons on the long term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48130/12]

Proposed Legislation

Seán Kyne

247. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a prohibition or if he has plans to introduce a prohibition on the use of sulkies on national and county roads; and his views on whether the use of such sulkies particularly in races on public roads are a danger to other road users. [45518/12]

Ash Dieback Threat

Seán Kyne

172. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawan to the Chalara fraxinea fungus which attacks ash trees and has decimated the number of such trees in other European countries; if the issue has been discussed at EU level; and if a ban on the importation of ash trees will be considered as a method of preventing the spread of this fungus here. [43970/12]

Road Projects Contracts

Seán Kyne

221. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if the funding from central Government supplied for a road project (details supplied) in County Galway contained any stipulations on the prioritisation of public transport on the road. [43969/12]

Money Advice and Budgeting Service Issues

Seán Kyne

144. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the excellent service which Money Advice and Budgeting Service provides if a new MABS office will be opened in an area (details supplied) which would serve the needs of the wider district and particularly on account of the areas distance from existing MABS offices. [43769/12]

Energy Conservation

Seán Kyne

158. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the progress of the better energy national upgrade programme in improving the energy efficiency of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43804/12]

Energy Conservation

Seán Kyne

159. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources his plans for a retrofit programme to be targeted at public buildings here which would not only reduce energy costs and increase efficiency but would also provide employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43805/12]

Departmental Staff Numbers

Seán Kyne

208. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine in view of the suspension in 2009 in accepting new applications to many farm schemes including REP scheme, installation aid and early retirement scheme, the reductions in administrative and inspection staff in the years 2010 and 2011. [43764/12]

European Council Meetings

Seán Kyne

134. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on trade with Israel of products from disputed territories such as the illegal settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43426/12]

Human Rights Issues

Seán Kyne

135. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the concerns he has at the cancellation of the Pride Parade in Belgrade, Serbia; and his views that such a disregard for freedom of expression and belief, principles which are at the core of the European Union, must be addressed on account of that country's desire to joint the EU. [43427/12]

Copyright Infringement

Seán Kyne

308. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the progress that has been made on the Copyright Review Committee which has been tasked with examining copyright law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43432/12]

Workplace Relations Services Provision

Seán Kyne

309. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the progress made on the implementation of the new streamlined Workplace Relations Service; and when he hopes the service with be operational. [43433/12]

Work Permit Applications

Seán Kyne

310. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if work is on-going on the creation of a visa for professionals in the ICT sector which is necessary in order that the world's top ICT companies can continue to be attracted and retained here. [43439/12]

Social Insurance Payments

Seán Kyne

314. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration can be given to introducing a new PRSI class of payment in Budget 2013 for self-employed persons in view of the fact that such a voluntary or optional contribution class would help provide supports for the self-employed who are currently unable to apply for most of the social welfare benefit-type schemes. [43441/12]

Election Management System

Seán Kyne

433. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he can confirm whether a directive has been issued in relation to reducing the number of polling stations for the forthcoming referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43425/12]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Seán Kyne

483. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the progress that has been made in reducing the waiting times of persons in the direct provision system as overseen by the Reception and Integration Agency of his Department. [43428/12]

Bank Charges

Seán Kyne

140. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Finance if he is concerned regarding the impact of banking charges being introduced by State and non-State owned banks, the design of which appears to depend on income levels and monthly lodgement amounts which have a disproportionate affect on those with lower incomes or social welfare recipients and therefore are unfair as those with higher income can avoid the charges. [42071/12]

Irish Language Issues

Seán Kyne

203. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to rolling out free or subsidised courses in Irish, in the form of lifelong, continuing and or adult education, which would encourage citizens to improve their command of, or reconnect with, the Irish language, particularly as such an incentive would help achieve the stated objective of the 20 year strategy for the Irish Language of increasing the number of people who speak Irish on a daily basis from 83,000 to 250,000. [42070/12]

Commonage Framework Plans

Seán Kyne

334. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans for a complex (details supplied) in County Galway in terms of restocking and compensation measures in 2013. [41987/12]

Special Areas of Conservation Designation

Seán Kyne

335. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if appeals processes will be enacted on particular special areas of conservation/natural heritage areas when concerns appear over the criteria used to designate lands; his views on whether such a process would be well received in many communities where concerns exist on the fairness of original designations. [41991/12]

Courts Service Issues

Seán Kyne

337. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has been consulted by the Courts Service in relation to plans for court services in the Connemara Gaeltacht considering the importance of ensuring a continued court service through the medium of An Ghaeilge and also given the acceptance and commitments contained within the twenty year strategy on the Irish language. [42073/12]

Turbary Rights

Seán Kyne

338. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the legal position of his Department regarding cutting domestic turf on National Heritage Areas; if these sites are entirely under the jurisdiction of his Department; the role the EU has in relation to the NHAs in the context of said activity and where relocation to an National Heritage Areas from an Special Area of Conservation bog which is closed would be permitted. [42074/12]