Parliamentary questions

Planning Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

450. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he intends to continue considering a consent application made under a planning application that has been amended and altered and is, by the applicant's own admission, now subject to further planning approval. [9241/13]

Planning Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

457. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the fact that he has undertaken to preserve the national monument Moore St., Dublin, under preservation order No.1 of 2007, if he will explain the basis upon which he can consider an application that seeks his consent to retain only the monument's buildings, that is, 40% of its protected area; the basis upon which the application, in seeking Ministerial consent, can simply ignore the protection afforded to the national monument as a protected structure and a national monument, by redrawing its boundary to facilitate the demolition of protected structures and outbuildings directly linked to the 1916 Rising and build on, over and under it.. [8641/13]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

624. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the monitoring reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service which document hare hits, injuries, kills and hares having to be put down due to injuries for the 2011-2012 coursing season; if he is concerned that hares continue to be injured and killed, despite muzzling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8636/13]

Mental Health Services Report

Maureen O'Sullivan

5. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in relation to the 477 posts allocated for mental health in the Health Service Executive's 2013 national service plan; the number of staff of each discipline that will be appointed; to which service, old age, intellectual disability, forensics and so on; to which geographical areas they will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7765/13]

Health Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

65. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he recognises the condition, X microvascular dysfunction, as a cardiac syndrome; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the US they have developed a new machine to diagnose the condition more effectively; the reason that some people with this debilitating condition cannot receive a statement from their cardiologists that they are unfit for work which affects their social welfare entitlements; if his Department will formulate public awareness programmes to raise awareness of this condition here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7633/13]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Maureen O'Sullivan

267. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the value of the individual contracts to providers of direct provision accommodation; and if these contracts were advertised and awarded as per the EU public procurement regulations. [7792/13]

Alcohol Pricing

Maureen O'Sullivan

312. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if in view of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's recommendations of alcohol and cancer, when he will begin work on introducing minimum pricing; the structural separating of alcohol from other products, labelling and a national campaign to provide health warnings on the links between alcohol and cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7766/13]

Voluntary Housing Sector

Maureen O'Sullivan

225. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the actions he will take to increase access to mortgages for people obtaining homes through charitable housing organisations, who have a lower net disposable income and are refused loans through traditional banks; the way he intends to increase home ownership during the stagnation of the housing sector for those on lower incomes; the way he intends to make the financial sector more inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6821/13]

Community Employment Schemes Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

394. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline, since January 2012, the decline in the numbers on community employment programmes; if she will further outline for the same period the decline in numbers on the special status drugs rehabilitation community employment programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7189/13]

Magdalen Laundries

Maureen O'Sullivan

5. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if, in progressing the issues relating to the Magdalen laundries, he is considering an apology and a redress and restorative justice scheme; and if he will establish a dedicated helpline and outreach service to provide much needed assistance for the ladies of the laundries. [6093/13]

Home-School Liaison Scheme

Maureen O'Sullivan

81. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify whether section 21(9) of the Education Welfare Act (2000) (details supplied) allows individual schools the discretion to come to flexi-school arrangements with parents, similar to those operated in some schools in the UK, whereby a child is homeschooled for a portion of the school week, if such an arrangement is authorised by the school principal and the school principal is satisfied with both the curriculum being delivered at home and the records of said curriculum delivery; and if such an arrangement is authorised at the discretion of the school, if he will further clarify if the school is obliged by the Act to report the homeschool days to the NEWB or does it suffice that the school has a record of the homeschool days. [6249/13]

Magdalen Laundries Report

Maureen O'Sullivan

148. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he envisages acting on the report of the committee, chaired by Senator McAleese, into the Magdalen laundries. [6094/13]

Prisoner Complaints Procedures

Maureen O'Sullivan

179. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of recent revelations regarding St. Patrick's Institution, and his plan to implement new procedures for the investigation of prisoner complaints, the timescale he envisages for implementing a new plan for those aged 18 to 21 within the criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6292/13]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

229. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will address the issue of medicines, supposedly being exempt from the sanctions imposed on Iran, but prevented from getting into Iran because of banking sanctions, an issue causing considerable difficulties for the civilian population; if he will pursue this as a breach of human rights and through his place on U.N. Human Rights Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5954/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

232. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance in view of Ireland's new membership to the Asia Development Bank and its contribution of €20 million to the bank, the projects that have been funded with the €20 million and the level of engagement from Irish businesses that exists with the Asia Development Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5244/13]

Property Taxation Application

Maureen O'Sullivan

254. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the implications of the proposed property tax, if it is imposed on housing associations particularly in view of the increasing demands on their services by many people, especially vulnerable people with mental health issues and addiction issues, former prisoners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5349/13]

Property Taxation Application

Maureen O'Sullivan

291. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance the measures he is taking in relation to property tax for those homes where the market value is significantly questionable and problematic as they are unable to secure insurance against flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6061/13]

Psychological Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

316. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of the engagement between the National Educational Psychological Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Education Welfare Boards, in the interests of those students in both primary and post primary education in need of support. [5427/13]

Insurance Coverage

Maureen O'Sullivan

374. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 147, the progress he has made in addressing the issues faced by communities who cannot secure insurance for flooding, especially for those where remedial work has been done; if he will consider State intervention on this matter; if he will address the implications for those homes when it comes to property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6052/13]

Forestry Sector

Maureen O'Sullivan

683. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to the recent report published by a company (details supplied) which estimates the State would remain liable for costs of €1.3 billion following a sale of harvesting rights; his views on the report's conclusion that the sale of Coillte's harvesting rights would not bring economic benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5243/13]