Parliamentary questions

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

861. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any of the five fur farms have given notification to his Department that they no longer have minks kept as per the condition on the licence applicable to minks issued under the Musk Rats Act 1933 (Application to Minks) Order 1965 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58171/12]

Animal Welfare Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

868. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Inspectors as authorised officers in relation to the Animal Health and Welfare Bill in relation to non-farm cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1039/13]

Adoption Records Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

909. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is considering an amendment to the 2010 Adoption Act to extend the life of declarations in terms of the adoption process; when this task will be completed; if she will provide a time frame for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58035/12]

Adoption Records Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

910. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the Health Service Executive will be instructed to start reassessments for those whose declarations will expire in October 2013; the action that will be taken for prospective parents (details supplied) who have waited seven years to adopt; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58036/12]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Maureen O'Sullivan

911. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure that referrals from Thailand will continue to be issued by the Adoption Authority of Ireland regardless of the current uncertainty in relation to the renewal of declarations; if it will be resolved prior to the expiration of the declarations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58037/12]

Animal Experimentation

Maureen O'Sullivan

995. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the implementation of the EU Directive, 2010/63/EU, in January 2013, the way he intends to implement the three R's: replacement of the use of animals to the greatest extent possible with alternative methods, refinement of scientific procedures to improve animal welfare and a reduction in the numbers of animals used; the way he will address the issue of animals subjected to severe pain, suffering and distress which a significant proportion of Irish animal experiments officially cause [58152/12]

Animal Experimentation

Maureen O'Sullivan

1072. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the permitted humane methods of killing for different species of animals bred for or used in laboratory experiments at different stages of their development and or different body weights, under SI 566/2002, operative until 1 January 2013. [1510/13]

Disability Support Services Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

1102. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the impact of the 5% cut to the annual core grant of an educational centre (details supplied) in Dublin 9 in view of the fact that it will have significant repercussions on the service being provided for severely disabled children [1759/13]

EU Directives

Maureen O'Sullivan

300. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the implementation of the EU Directive 2010/63/EU in January 2013, the way he intends to implement the three Rs, replacement of the use of animals to the greatest extent possible with alternative testing methods, refinement of scientific procedures to improve animal welfare and reduction in numbers of animals used; the way he will address the issue of animals subjected to severe pain, suffering and distress which a significant proportion of Irish animal experiments officially cause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57514/12]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Maureen O'Sullivan

194. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if the new Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012 will exempt executors of wills for whom the selling of a property is their responsibility but who are not the beneficiaries of that property, or if the Bill will allow deferring of payment until the property is sold; if the exemption of executors of wills will not be included in the Bill if he will include them in a waiver programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56966/12]

School Funding

Maureen O'Sullivan

251. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make representations to ensure that schools will not have to pay the same fixed energy costs as small and medium business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56819/12]

Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta

Maureen O'Sullivan

264. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén fáth ar ghlac sé an cinneadh chun an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) a chur faoin gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta; an féidir leis a chur in iúl go cruinn cén coigilteas airgid a bheidh déanta de bharr an cinneadh sin a dhéanamh; an ndeachaigh sé i gcomhairle le bord COGG sular glacadh an cinneadh; an ndeachaigh sé i gcomhairle le pobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta a mbíonn COGG ag freastal orthu lena dtuairim a lorg sula ndearnadh an cinneadh; an dóigh leis, ar bhreathnú siar, gurbh fhearr an cinneadh a fhreaschur. [56959/12]

Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta

Maureen O'Sullivan

265. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén fáth ar thug sé neamhaird ar mholtaí sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge, 2010-2030 nuair a rinne sé an cinneadh chun an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) a chur faoin gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta; cén fáth nár chloígh sé le moltaí na Straitéise go mbeadh príomhról ag COGG agus go mbeadh COGG ar an ngrúpa ardleibhéil straitéise; an bhféadfadh an tAire a mhíniú cén fáth nach bhfuil sé ag cloí le moltaí na Straitéise nuair nach bhfuil fiú coigilteas airgid i gceist; an gciallaíonn sé seo nach bhfuil an tAire ag tabhairt tacaíocht don Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge; céard is fiú straitéis a bheith ann mura bhfuil na rannóga rialtais sásta í a chur san áireamh. [56960/12]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

424. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the persons that are maintaining the National Asset Management Agency properties; if he will outline the tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56323/12]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

560. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that a ban on fur farming is going through the Dutch Parliament, the Netherlands being the third biggest for mink fur farming in the world, and Germany phasing out fur farming by 2016, if he will consider the phasing out of fur farming here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56967/12]

Appointments to State Boards

Maureen O'Sullivan

149. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in the view of his appointing board members to Irish Water Safety, if he will consider appointing a representative to the board of Swim Ireland. [55921/12]

Prison Visiting Committees Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

53. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the disparities between the Inspector of Prisons' report on St. Patrick's Institution, Dublin and the Visiting Committee Report of 2010; the location at which it is planned to accommodate 18 to 21 year olds, who would currently be residing in St. Patrick's Institution (detail supplied), after 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54640/12]

Overseas Development Aid Oversight

Maureen O'Sullivan

134. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance in view of the visit by the chair of the Committee of Public Accounts to investigate corruption in African countries and in view of the U.K. Public Accounts Committee calling multi-national corporations into Westminster to examine their profits and tax responsibilities, if he will request the Committee of Public Accounts to call in multi-national companies to outline their responsibilities in relation to payment of corporate tax here. [55243/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

Maureen O'Sullivan

473. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he is committed to having the publication of the standards and new system of Inspection of Private and Voluntary Intellectual Disability Services published by January 2013; if he will ensure that the inspections will be independent and of a high standard and that no further delays will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55242/12]

Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes

Maureen O'Sullivan

67. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of teachers, scheduled classes, work training programmes that have been curtailed and or cancelled in each prison and the comparable numbers for six and 12 months ago; the impact of the reduction in prison officers and prison office hours on the availability of services for prisoners including education, psychology, work training, health care and drug addiction service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54734/12]