Parliamentary questions

Gas Exploration Licences

Simon Harris

740. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures in place to ensure that the Exchequer benefits financially from any oil or gas exploration projects within our country and its waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16863/13]

Gas Exploration Licences

Simon Harris

741. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline his response to the view that the Norwegian people benefit significantly in a financial sense for oil and gas exploration projects in their country but that the Irish people will not benefit similarly from such projects in our country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16864/13]

Energy Schemes

Simon Harris

745. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider allowing tenants in local authority housing to avail of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland grants to improve the energy efficency of their homes in cases in which the local authority has informed tenants that they are unable to provide funding to carry out such works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17197/13]

Compulsory Purchase Orders

Simon Harris

805. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received a copy of the report he commissioned to be carried out into the purchase of land at Three Trouts in Greystones, County Wicklow by Wicklow County Council; if so, when he intends to publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16873/13]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Simon Harris

806. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of social and affordable houses that were provided as part of development conditions where a developer had to build social and affordable housing or contribute to the cost of such in order to receive permission to develop private housing from its introduction in law to the present; if he will provide a breakdown of these numbers by local authority; the number of such houses that were due to be built and remain not built; the actions that should be taken to pursue this liability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16874/13]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Simon Harris

833. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities receive grants from his Department to carry out works which would improve the energy rating and environmental efficiency of local authority properties; the amount of funding allocated for such grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17196/13]

Services for People with Disabilities

Simon Harris

945. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will introduce measures to remove barriers to persons with disabilities accessing the justice system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17177/13]

UN Conventions Ratification

Simon Harris

946. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the legislative reform that is needed to ensure the alignment of Irish law with the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities; if he will provide details of the timeline for the publication of such legislative reform; when he hopes to be in a position for Ireland to ratify this convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17178/13]

Narcolepsy Disorder

Simon Harris

1151. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if a package of supports has been drawn up by his Department or the Health Service Executive for families affected by unique narcolepsy disorder as a result of receiving a vaccination and on the back of a report published on 19 April 2012 acknowledging the casual links between the vaccination and narcolepsy; the reason for the delay in providing this package of supports when families had originally been told that they would be in place by July 2012, and then October 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16272/13]

Disabilities Services Funding

Simon Harris

1290. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he intends to introduce a personal budget model in order that persons with intellectual disabilities have the flexibility to make choices that suit their own needs best; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17180/13]

Services for People with Disabilities

Simon Harris

1291. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the current status of the assessment of need provision under the Disability Act 2005; if he will outline a timeframe for extending this provision as per the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17181/13]

Ministerial Meetings

Simon Harris

1292. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he has discussed the issue of autism with his ministerial counterparts at an EU level in terms of Council of Minister meetings or informal meetings; if he will provide an overview of such discussions and any conclusions arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17184/13]

Departmental Reports

Simon Harris

1293. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all reports and strategies which have been developed by his Department or any agency under his Department's remit in relation to disability services and any specific disabilities or special needs from 1997 to date; the name of the report or strategy, date of publication, action taken arising from the publication of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17185/13]

The Gathering Events

Simon Harris

1384. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on The Gathering events organised in a county (details supplied); the amount of funding given to events in this county; if he will give details of tourism statistics for the county to date in 2013 compared to 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16867/13]

Road Safety Strategy

Simon Harris

56. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline some of the measures contained within the road safety strategy that is due to be launched later this week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15027/13]

Weight of Schoolbags

Simon Harris

123. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being undertaken to reduce the weight of school bags for Irish children which is having an adverse effect on the ability of children to walk or cycle to and from school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15493/13]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision

Simon Harris

219. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a project (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the immediate timeframe for the stages of this project; the funding allocation available for this project; the prospective date for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15502/13]

Commercial Rates Calculations

Simon Harris

220. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered any plans to revise the criteria and system on which commercial levies are based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15503/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Simon Harris

253. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason resource hour applications for children with special educational needs that were received after 5 October 2012 will not be sanctioned until the 2013/2014 school year; the way schools are expected to provide for the needs of these children from within their existing resources; if such a delay is now to be viewed as the norm; the rationale behind same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14961/13]

National Internship Scheme Placements

Simon Harris

338. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow that applied to participate in the JobBridge scheme was refused entry to the scheme and the action that can be taken to ensure that this school can avail of administrative support through this scheme. [15170/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Simon Harris

74. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been taken to tackle inpatient and day case waiting lists in Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14313/13]

Substance Misuse

Simon Harris

134. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in introducing the recommendations arising from the national strategy of substances misuse which includes alcohol, particularly the need for structural separation of alcohol products from other products in supermarkets and other stores; if he intends to give statutory effect to section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13471/13]

Passport Application Numbers

Simon Harris

47. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications the Passport Office processed in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the current waiting time for a passport; the measures in place to provide emergency passports; the measures being taken to improve the turnaround of passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13178/13]

Development Levies

Simon Harris

137. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount outstanding in development levies to local authorities; the years to which these development levies relate; the amount of outstanding levies by county; the advice he will give to local authorities in terms of collecting such outstanding levies, particularly in cases where a developer has gone out of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13176/13]

Planning Issues

Simon Harris

138. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a situation occurring whereby individuals manipulate the planning process by constantly submitting planning objections and just before they are refused permission withdraw them, then resubmit them and so on in an effort to delay an application being formally refused; his views on this practice and also the use of the retention application in the planning process which enables persons to develop structures without permission and then seek to retain them; the purpose of this; if he will review its use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13177/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Simon Harris

200. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way the parents of a child (details supplied) in County Wicklow who have a recommendation from the early intervention team to split their child's school day between mainstream and a special needs school can go about ensuring that this happens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/13]

School Staffing

Simon Harris

204. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider allowing schools to combine their learning support hours allocation and their resource hours allocation to enable them to provide the maximum amount of support to students with special educational needs and to give them the flexibility to provide such supports within a school community without the need for teaching time to be lost travelling from one school to the next; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12395/13]

School Staffing

Simon Harris

205. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details in tabular form of the number of learning support hours and resource hours allocated to each school in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12396/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Simon Harris

217. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills what happens if a person's (details supplied) financial circumstances change during an academic year which would make them eligible for a third level maintenance grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12644/13]

Local Authority Development Schemes

Simon Harris

446. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any plans in place to reduce the level of development contribution charges which Wicklow County Council currently has in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13069/13]

Vehicle Emissions

Simon Harris

663. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to test Dublin Bus vehicle emissions at the same level as other commercial vehicles; the existing tests Dublin Bus are subject to in relation to emissions testing, environmental testing and public safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13121/13]

Human Rights Issues

Simon Harris

57. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures taken by Irish Aid, his Department and non-governmental organisations that receive financial support through Irish Aid or his Department, in support of human rights promotion in developing countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11775/13]

Motor Tax Collection

Simon Harris

350. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any mechanism in place for a person whose motor tax lapsed whilst they were in hospital for an extended period of time and who now wants to re-tax the car excluding the months that they were in hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11327/13]

Home Schooling

Simon Harris

446. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the options in place for a child to avail of home schooling; the criteria which must be met to be eligible for home schooling; the way a parent goes about applying to have their child home schooled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11024/13]

Treatment Abroad Scheme

Simon Harris

592. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery is available under the treatment abroad scheme; if not, whether there any proposed plans to make it available under the treatment abroad scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11706/13]

Deserted Wife's Benefit Eligibility

Simon Harris

323. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons who were in receipt of the now defunct deserted wife's allowance prior to its discontinuation in 1997 continue to receive this payment until they reach transition pension age; her plans to review this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9716/13]

Septic Tank Grants

Simon Harris

440. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow may recover some of the cost incurred for a puraflo effluent treatment system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9728/13]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Applications

Simon Harris

247. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow may expect to avail of a general practitioner visit card under the long term illness scheme and if a general practitioner visit card will automatically issue to those patients on the LTI card or do they have to apply for the card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9210/13]

Irish Language Issues

Simon Harris

312. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow will qualify for an Irish exemption in second level school as a result of their special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8226/13]

Homeless Persons Supports

Simon Harris

522. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the services and supports in place for homeless persons in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the funding that has been provided by Government for such services in this area; if consideration will be given to making an outreach service providing hot food available to those who are unable or unwilling to attend a homeless centre of shelter; the Government policy in relation to tackling homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8794/13]

Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times

Simon Harris

45. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in Tallaght Hospital, Dublin; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7549/13]

Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times

Simon Harris

46. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in St. Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7569/13]

Public Sector Pensions Legislation

Simon Harris

92. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the public pension options available to women who left the public service as a result of the marriage bar and returned to the public service in each of the years 2000 to 2005 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7684/13]

State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility

Simon Harris

130. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that the State pension transition at age 65 years is being abolished with effect from 1 January 2014; if she will outline her plans to provide for persons facing compulsory retirement at age 65 years after that date, in view of the fact that the State pension will not be paid until persons reach the age of 66 years; the criteria for her plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7682/13]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Simon Harris

142. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will make contact with Eircom to raise concerns about the current proposal to drop the price of telephone lines by €4 per month to customers in cities and towns as part of their broadband rural plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7706/13]

Departmental Bodies

Simon Harris

178. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Taoiseach the amount of money held on deposit or in short term bank investments by each Government or State agency or body under his remit; the rate of interest at which these deposits are held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6692/13]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Application Numbers

Simon Harris

451. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of implementing the mortgage to rent scheme whereby a homeowner who is unable to pay their mortgage can hand possession of their home to a local authority and continue to reside in their home; the way a person would go about applying for this scheme and if this scheme is now available in all local authorities; the number of persons he envisages being able to avail of this scheme and the criteria which needs to be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6721/13]

Departmental Banking

Simon Harris

68. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of money held on deposit or in short-term bank investments by each Government or State agency or body under his Department's remit; the rate of interest at which the deposits are held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6336/13]

Departmental Banking

Simon Harris

77. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money held on deposit or in short-term bank investments by each Government or State agency or body under his Department's remit; the rate of interest at which these deposits are held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6335/13]

Departmental Banking

Simon Harris

87. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of money held on deposit or in short-term bank investments by each Government or State agency or body under his Department's remit; the rate of interest at which the deposits are held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6333/13]