Parliamentary questions

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]