Parliamentary questions

Proposed Legislation

Seán Kyne

661. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health further to the Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 17 December 2013, and in the context of the planned changes to the Irish Health Service, if consideration will be given to empowering Health Information and Quality Authority to monitor and inspect standards in private hospitals as well as public hospitals, in view of the proposed introduction of a health insurance system in which the services provided by private hospitals will undoubtedly expand [2934/14]

Health Services Provision

Seán Kyne

662. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to amending section 39 of the Health Act under which financial supports are provided to voluntary and non-Governmental organisations to increase transparency and accountability of such items as director and management salaries in view of the fact that such a legislative measure would increase public confidence regarding the use of public money [2935/14]

Medicinal Products Prices

Seán Kyne

663. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress made regarding reducing the cost of medicines both at a State level and at consumer level; the negotiations that have been held between the Health Service Executive and the pharmaceutical companies; and if consideration will be given to partnering with other EU member states in purchasing medications which would enable health services to acquire essential medications at a lower cost [2936/14]

Disability Diagnoses

David Stanton

664. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if his Department classifies dyscalculia as a disability and compiles statistics on the number of persons in the State who have been diagnosed with dyscalculia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2940/14]

Animal Experimentation

John O'Mahony

665. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health if he has reviewed the Irish Medicines Board implementation of Directive 2010/63 here; if he will indicate the way in which he will ensure that Irish enterprises are not put at a competitive disadvantage due to the IMB interpretation of Directive 2010/63; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2969/14]

Roads Maintenance

Finian McGrath

666. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views regarding road issues (details supplied) in County Dublin. [2469/14]

Roads Maintenance

Brendan Griffin

667. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department will provide funding to complete an infrastructural project (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2551/14]

Sports Capital Programme Eligibility

Éamon Ó Cuív

668. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a licence from a local authority rather than a lease is acceptable for an application to comply with the terms of the Capital Sports Grant Scheme 2014; in the event that it is, the terms that would be required from such a licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2941/14]

National Roads Authority Projects

Brian Walsh

669. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding provided for the purpose of planning works in respect of the Galway city outer bypass since he reversed the ban on such expenditure last year; and the amount allocated for that purpose in 2014. [2289/14]

Road Safety Strategy

Nicky McFadden

670. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a renewed focus will be placed by his Department on road safety to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries in 2014; the measures he will take to address the problem of drug driving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2297/14]

Road Safety

Nicky McFadden

671. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the recommendations of the speed limits review will be implemented in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2299/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Barry Cowen

672. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department including payments from Ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if he will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2369/14]

National Car Test

Terence Flanagan

673. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of money that has been collected by the national car test service since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2384/14]

Rail Services

Terence Flanagan

674. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has concerns that DART users are being over-charged for the current standard of service they are receiving; if he has concerns that further increases in ticket prices will lead to fewer people being able to afford and use the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2385/14]

National Roads Authority Projects

Dara Calleary

675. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide traffic usage figures from the latest survey of the N59 road in County Mayo between Ballina and Crossmolina; and the N59 road between Newport and Westport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2410/14]

Rail Services

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

676. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there are periods during rush hour where there are fewer DART carriages running than in other time slots; the reasons behind the 50 cent fare increase in December 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2419/14]

Penalty Points System Offences

Peadar Tóibín

677. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of penalty points issued for each month since January 2011; and if he will detail seperately their issue by county. [2444/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

678. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount his Department spends on an annual basis in payments to consultancy firms (details supplied). [2485/14]

Public Transport Provision

Seán Kenny

679. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department or the National Transport Authority intends to provide funding to purchase additional carriages for the Luas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2529/14]

Penalty Points System Offences

Brendan Griffin

680. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a longer period of suspension from driving for persons who accrue 12 penalty points for the second time or thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2556/14]

Cycling Facilities Provision

Brendan Griffin

681. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consult with Iarnród Éireann to see if there are existing railway line corridors in use that have enough space at the sides to safely facilitate the provision of greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2557/14]

Cycling Facilities Provision

Brendan Griffin

682. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consult with the National Roads Authority to see if our new motorways have enough space on the verges of the land corridors that were acquired to safely facilitate the provision of cycle paths or greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2558/14]

Sports Funding

Brendan Griffin

683. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the new round of sports capital funding; if he will provide details of important deadlines and the overall budget and criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2564/14]

Tourism Project Funding

Brendan Griffin

684. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the opportunities that are available to a festival (details supplied) in County Kerry to apply for funding to help offset some of the costs of staging the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2567/14]

Railway Stations Upgrade

Brendan Griffin

685. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will make funding available in 2014 to Irish Rail to improve the appearance and condition of railway stations, especially those on tourist routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2571/14]

Railway Stations Upgrade

Brendan Griffin

686. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding to improve the appearance of a railway station (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/14]

Tourism Promotion

Brendan Griffin

687. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way the Wild Atlantic Way will be marketed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2600/14]

Road Signage

Brendan Griffin

688. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Roads Authority will explain the reason it erected a sign on a private road at Ballinamona Lower, Castlemaine, County Kerry on the road opposite the junction of the N70 and the short mountain road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2634/14]

Public Service Contracts

Thomas P. Broughan

689. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the CIE PSO allocation for 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the projected allocations for 2014 and 2015; and the way the allocation has been and will be split between Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann. [2690/14]

Road Safety

Michael Healy-Rae

690. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding tachograph legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2691/14]

Road Safety

Brendan Griffin

691. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the introduction of mandatory dipped headlights for motorists during daylight to further improve safety on our roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2782/14]

Public Transport Provision

Eric J. Byrne

692. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a nitelink and air coach service in respect of an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2800/14]

Road Safety

Michael Healy-Rae

693. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason, if a person with a commercial vehicle legally off the road parks it in a shed and six or 12 months later wants to put it back on the road, the reason they are requested to back-test the vehicle covering the length of time it was legally off the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2829/14]

Driver Licences

Patrick O'Donovan

694. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to harmonise the driving licence regime between Ireland and Canada; the progress that has been made on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2860/14]

Grant Payments

Andrew Doyle

695. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider providing a capital grant scheme for mountain rescue organisations in County Wicklow (details supplied) to enable the organisations to improve the service they provide to the public in times of need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2877/14]

Tourism Policy

Andrew Doyle

696. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of Ireland's engagement history with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation based in Madrid, Spain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2879/14]

Grant Payments

Dara Calleary

697. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of grant money paid by his Department in 2013 to Shannon Airport; if any debt due from the airport to his Department or to any agency under his aegis has been written off and if so the amount; the value of assets transferred or due to be transferred from Shannon Development to Shannon airport and the annual income associated with those assets; and his views on the implementation of the Shannon Airport task force report of 2012. [2924/14]