Parliamentary questions

Garda Remuneration

Stephen Donnelly

158. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that gardaí are paid all outstanding allowances in December for hours worked in November this year, rather than in January, as has been the case in previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50905/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Stephen Donnelly

345. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for less than six months; for more than six months and less than 12 months; for more than 12 months and less than 24 months; those in receipt of this payment for more than 24 months and less than 36 months; those in receipt for more than 36 months and less than 48 months and those in receipt for more than 48 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50317/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Stephen Donnelly

346. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons aged 25 years in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for less than six months; for more than six months and less than 12 months; for more than 12 months and less than 24 months; those in receipt of this payment for more than 24 months and less than 36 months; those in receipt for more than 36 months and less than 48 months and those in receipt for more than 48 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50319/13]

Local Employment Service

Stephen Donnelly

347. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the 22 local employment services funded by her Department; the location of each; the funding provided to each in 2013; the number of jobseekers engaging in each LES in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50321/13]

Departmental Funding

Stephen Donnelly

348. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the budget allocated in 2014 to implement the Your First EURES Job scheme announced on 14 October 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50322/13]

Departmental Staff Data

Stephen Donnelly

349. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employment services officers/advisers currently employed by her Department to assist jobseekers; her plans to increase the number of employment/career advisers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50323/13]

Departmental Staff Data

Stephen Donnelly

350. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of employment services officers/advisors who will be assigned to implement the youth guarantee, in particular to ensure each young jobseeker gets a personalised needs assessment and employment plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50324/13]

Employment Support Services

Stephen Donnelly

351. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years who have undertaken the Intreo registration and profile questionnaire process since the introduction of Pathways to Work in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50325/13]

Employment Support Services

Stephen Donnelly

352. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years who were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or benefit for one year or more who have undertaken the Intreo registration and profile questionnaire process since the introduction of Pathways to Work in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50326/13]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Stephen Donnelly

353. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the estimated costs of providing an additional 1,500 places on the JobBridge scheme for young persons in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50327/13]

Youth Employment Initiative

Stephen Donnelly

354. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if the European Commission Memo 13/984 of 12 November 2013 which indicates that Ireland has been given a provisional allocation of €63.66 million from the €3 billion youth employment initiative will be increased; the efforts that are being made by her Department to increase this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50328/13]

Youth Guarantee

Stephen Donnelly

355. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the management and governance of the youth guarantee here; if she will give a commitment that the initiative will be overseen by a high-level group made up of the key stakeholders such as young jobseekers, youth organisations, education and training providers, career guidance experts, employers and relevant Departments as required by the youth guarantee implementation plan which must be submitted to the European Parliament; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50329/13]

Irish Water Establishment

Stephen Donnelly

434. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the projected costs for the establishment of Irish Water; if he will use the borrowing provisions of the Water Services Act 2013 to repay the full establishment costs of Irish Water into the local government fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48967/13]

Irish Water Establishment

Stephen Donnelly

435. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the annual costs of water provision, in addition to the establishment costs of Irish Water, are to be paid out of the local government fund in 2014 and if this represents a double payment for water services by local authorities and local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48968/13]

Property Taxation Yield

Stephen Donnelly

436. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 108 of 6 November 2013, which states that the establishment of Irish Water presents local government with significant organisational and financial challenges in 2014 and, in this context, it has been necessary to defer defining a certain proportion of the proceeds of the local property tax to be retained in each local authority until 2015, if he now intends to reduce the proposed retention of local property tax receipts to below 80% to support those local authories with weaker funding bases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48980/13]

Local Government Fund

Stephen Donnelly

437. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government notwithstanding the decision not to make allocations from the local government fund at a municipal district level, if he will, for the purposes of transparency, further strengthen democracy at a local level; if he will provide a breakdown of local property tax revenues on a municipal council level for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48981/13]

Driving Licence Issues

Stephen Donnelly

201. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the costs involved in opening each of the new 34 driving licence centres; if any American or overseas companies were outsourced to handle data of any kind in the set-up of the new national driver licence service; if so, the steps taken to ensure confidential information was protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48474/13]

Property Tax Yield

Stephen Donnelly

108. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the local government reforms and the proposed increased fiscal responsibilities at a municipal council level, if he will provide a breakdown of local property tax revenues on a municipal council level for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47195/13]

National Risk Assessment

Stephen Donnelly

108. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach his plans for ensuring that the new national risk assessment which is to be published annually will include risks faced by the country in the areas of unemployment, emigration, poverty, income inequality, early school leaving, health inequalities, gender inequality and personal over-indebtedness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46401/13]

Mortgage Repayments Issues

Stephen Donnelly

482. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the abolition of mortgage interest supplement, announced as part of Budget 2014, if she will explain, and release to Dáil Éireann, the analysis that was undertaken to determine the impact of abolishing the measure on mortgage holders, that is, the number of mortgages forced into default, number of existing agreements between banks and borrowers affected, resultant cost benefit ratio, and so on, the results of that analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45932/13]

Social Insurance Issues

Stephen Donnelly

515. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding PRSI liabilities on unearned income, as introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013, if this measure will require those with unearned income to make a self-assessed return to Revenue; if liabilities will be charged on gross or net income, for example, in the case of an accidental landlord with a buy-to-let property, where the rental income does not cover the cost of the outstanding mortgage, either interest only or interest and capital, whether their liabilities will be calculated on income or profits, if any exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46286/13]

Jobseeker's Benefit Applications

Stephen Donnelly

523. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons aged 18 to 25 years who have applied for jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance and were unsuccessful and-or ineligible for a payment in the years 2009 to 2012, inclusive, broken down by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46353/13]

Ministerial Appointments

Stephen Donnelly

756. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will be nominating a new Irish member to the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; when he will have a replacement installed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46159/13]

Social Work Staff

Stephen Donnelly

992. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 26 September 2013, the total number of social workers in the area of family support and child care services, or in relevant units, Departments or teams, however they may have been organised and named, for each of the years 2008 to 2012. [46037/13]

Health Services Staff Issues

Stephen Donnelly

993. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 26 September 2013, the number of vacancies arising in children and family services in 2012 that were considered by the National Employment Control Group; the number of such vacancies in which the group recommended that the vacancy be filled by recruitment; and the number of such cases in which that recruitment was approved and the vacancy subsequently filled. [46038/13]

Children in Care

Stephen Donnelly

994. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 26 September 2013, the number of young persons who left care on reaching their 18th birthday during 2012 or during the nearest 12 month reporting period; the number of such young persons who began aftercare programmes; the number of such young persons who did not begin aftercare programmes; the number of such young persons who began aftercare programmes who subsequently disengaged from them; if she will provide any other statistical information available on aftercare, to include breakdown by type of aftercare package, by geography, by educational or employment attainment, for example the number of young persons in aftercare currently pursing third level education; the annual spend on aftercare; the average cost of an aftercare package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46039/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Stephen Donnelly

1048. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if seriously ill patients, or their carer's, are required to reapply for medical cards at six week intervals or at any interval of less than one year; if so the reason for this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45767/13]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Stephen Donnelly

137. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance if he will intervene with the liquidators of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in the sale of mortgages for former Irish Nationwide customers and any others whose loans have ended up in IBRC, to disaggregate the overall loan-book, allowing individual mortgagors to bid on their own loans as part of the process of liquidation, just as larger borrowers can do; if not, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44280/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

169. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1695, 1696 and 1697 of 18 September 2013 regarding the school transport scheme, the reason for the statement that the scheme operates on a cost recovery basis and Bus Éireann does not make a profit in the scheme in any commercial sense; if he is implying that Bus Éireann makes non-commercial profits of some kind on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44896/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

170. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the annual cost to Bus Éireann to operate the school transport scheme since 2005; the amount paid to it annually for the running of the scheme since 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44897/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

206. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 69 and 70 of 15 October 2013, if he will clarify if it is the position of his Department not to answer parliamentary questions in instances where freedom of information requests are being considered and-or where confidentiality agreements have been signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44822/13]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Oversight

Stephen Donnelly

477. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarification regarding any changes to the fair deal scheme in view of claims from a person (details supplied) that participants in the scheme are now being asked to cover a shortfall between nursing home costs and the amount covered by the national treatment purchase fund; the way supplementary payments from participants will be reconciled with the financial safeguards of the fair deal scheme should they come into conflict with those safeguards, for example, if supplementary payment leaves the participant with a personal allowance of less than 20% of their income; if the Health Service Executive is aware of and approves nursing homes asking for supplementary payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44779/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

16. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify comments relating to school transport and Bus Éireann that Bus Éireann makes a profit but it is not a profit in a commercial sense; if he will reveal these non-commercial profits in tabular form annually from 2005 to date in 2013. [43747/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

69. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish the unredacted version of the FGS report on school transport administrative charges; if he will release all notes, documentation or correspondence his Department has retained on what should and should not be redacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43442/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

70. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide clarification on the statement from the FGS report regarding administration charges paid to Bus Éireann, whereby the new and lower charges to be levied would be done on a rolling incremental basis with zero basing exercise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43443/13]

School Transport Provision

Stephen Donnelly

71. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish the profit and loss accounts for the school transport scheme; if full accounts have been made publicly available; if they have been previously available online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43444/13]

Genetically Modified Organisms

Stephen Donnelly

342. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding Teagasc’s trial of genetically modified crops, which many are against, if he will offer any rationale that will address the following concerns: that GM crops will damage our national economy by destroying Ireland's status as a GMO-free crop zone; that GM crops threaten biodiversity and risk contaminating Irish potatoes in perpetuity; that GM crops require the use of glyphosate which is linked to birth defects and cancer; that literature from Teagasc admits the related GM patents could be sold or licensed to corporations such as Monsanto; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43235/13]

Proposed Legislation

Stephen Donnelly

462. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will undertake a cost-benefit analysis of the Mortgage Restructuring Arrangement Bill 2013. [42167/13]

Budget 2014

Stephen Donnelly

129. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance the current working estimate of the quantum of new net budgetary measures that would be required in budget 2014 to meet the troika target of 5.1% of GDP for 2014, and to provide the workings of that calculation, for example, GDP of €174 billion, then 5.1% implies general Government deficit of no more than €8.9 billion, 2013 estimated GGD is €12.5 billion, so minimum correction of €3.6bn required; before any new budgetary measures, a reduction in general Government deficit of €2.8 billion is estimated €1.9 billion economic effects, €0.6 billion carryover from budget 2013, €0.4 billion due to Haddington Road, implying a minimum additional correction requirement of €0.8 billion from new budgetary changes in budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41491/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Stephen Donnelly

203. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance if he intervened in the publication of Anglo Irish Bank's statement of affairs to ensure neither depositors nor borrowers were named as reported; if so, the reason for such an intervention; the legal ramifications of ministerial interventions to facilitate closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40685/13]

Civil Registration Legislation

Stephen Donnelly

321. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 to allow deaths to be registered in the absence of a medical certificate of cause of death, or on foot of a coroner's certificate, to specifically allow for deaths of unborn children to be registered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40430/13]

Child Protection Services

Stephen Donnelly

232. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the further progress that has been made in implementing the recommendations of the report of the Independent Child Death Review Group since her replies of 28/03/2013 and 18/07/2013; the total number of social workers employed in Children and Family Support Services at present, and this number for each of the past five years; if and when the independent reviews into child deaths referred to by her will be published and if not, the reason for same; when the final progress report of the Ryan Report Implementation Plan will be brought before the Oireachtas; the number of young persons currently in receipt of aftercare services; her plan for developing legislation to strengthen the provision of aftercare; if she will provide details of all cuts to child care and aftercare services that have been implemented in recent years, or any restrictions of services forced by economic necessity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40138/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

114. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the new instructions to staff that have been issued regarding the filing and retention of documents in his Department since the current Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39097/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

115. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the new protocols that have been implemented regarding the filing and retention of documents in his Department since the current Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39098/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

116. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the training that has been offered to staff regarding the filing and retention of documents in his Department since the current Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39099/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

117. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the new documents that are now being kept, which were not previously being recorded in his Department since the current Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39100/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

118. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, if an audit of document retention and filing systems, both digital and analogue, has been undertaken since the current Government came into office, if he will release the details of any such audit in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39101/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

119. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to the his concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the new IT systems that have been installed since the current Government came into office to address his concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39102/13]

Departmental Records

Stephen Donnelly

120. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Taoiseach in relation to concerns regarding the quality of record keeping in his Department, the new positions that have been introduced for example chief information officer since the current Government came into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39103/13]

Departmental Agencies

Stephen Donnelly

157. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide in tabular form the number of silent SMS messages the Revenue Commission or any agency under his remit has instructed providers to send in the past three years and by network provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37068/13]