Parliamentary questions

European Council Meetings

Andrew Doyle

122. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will discuss the outcomes of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting that took place in October 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46263/13]

Property Taxation Assessments

Andrew Doyle

207. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance the reason a local property tax letter from the Revenue Commissioners to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow says the person's 2014 LPT is €810, as opposed to a lesser amount, in view of fact that the 2013 LPT return for the half year was €202; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46704/13]

Property Taxation Collection

Andrew Doyle

215. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Finance the reason the Revenue Commissioners have set the date of the end of November for payment of the 2014 local property tax for the persons who pay by credit card; the penalties that will apply to persons who pay later than this date; if the Revenue Commissioners will consider extending the card payments deadline date beyond November until the end of the year, in line with dates for persons paying via other methods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46879/13]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Andrew Doyle

532. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will receive a date for an oral hearing in relation to their carer's allowance appeal application; when a final decision will be made; her views on the length of time it takes for an oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46484/13]

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Andrew Doyle

618. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a progress report on the roll-out of broadband, high-speed broadband and fibre broadband in an area (details supplied) of County Wicklow; if the State will intervene to ensure access to broadband service in the area, in view of the fact that the competitive market has failed to deliver such service for small businesses that are expanding; the way the national broadband plan will improve broadband speeds in this area, in view of the number of small and medium enterprises, new homes and proposed new developments in its environs; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that similar towns nearby have access to fibre broadband that is sufficient for essential business communications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46381/13]

Seniors Alert Scheme Issues

Andrew Doyle

667. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of funding made available to County Wicklow through the local authority, community and voluntary groups for the seniors alert scheme on a yearly basis from 2010 to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46147/13]

Job Initiatives

Andrew Doyle

1253. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide for the use of social or local employment clauses in future capital projects under his Department’s remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47242/13]

Traffic Calming Measures

Andrew Doyle

1263. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ask the National Transport Authority to outline the funding available to the local authority to conduct works at a village (details supplied) in County Wicklow under traffic management, safety for cyclists and pedestrians over the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45897/13]

Ports Development

Andrew Doyle

1287. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects to bring forward legislation to provide effect to the measures outlined in the ports policy document published earlier this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46894/13]

Aviation Industry Regulations

Andrew Doyle

275. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Irish Aviation Authority has noted that an advisory panel to the United States Federal Aviation Administration has recommended allowing personal electronics to be used throughout flights, including during take-off and landing; if such discussions have been held regarding a similar arrangement within the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45456/13]

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Andrew Doyle

126. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a jobseeker's assistance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45011/13]

Enterprise Support Schemes

Andrew Doyle

219. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the details of the funding allocated through the microenterprise loan fund scheme through Microfinance Ireland for an area (details supplied); broken down into the number of applications received; the number approved; the total value of loans approved to each business; the number of jobs supported in each enterprise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44394/13]

Job Initiatives

Andrew Doyle

266. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of employee applicants and successful employee applicants for the JobsPlus scheme in three counties (details supplied). [44395/13]

Voluntary Work Option Issues

Andrew Doyle

306. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if all officials at regional offices of her Department are made fully aware and possess a certain level of knowledge of the voluntary work option, thus removing a barrier to letting persons volunteer in their community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44762/13]

National Volunteering Strategy

Andrew Doyle

376. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a new national volunteering strategy is currently being formulated as a departmental policy document; if such a policy document being prepared will seek input from the community and voluntary sector through a public consultation mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44761/13]

Medical Card Reviews

Andrew Doyle

518. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if, in the context of examination of eligibility for medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow, he will review the need for a medical card, cognisant of their medical requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44337/13]

Air Services Provision

Andrew Doyle

604. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the abolition of the air travel tax will allow Ireland to become a major transatlantic hub, in view of its competitive position against other airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44537/13]

Common Security and Defence Policy

Andrew Doyle

111. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Defence the preparations he has made to date in advance of the European Council summit in December 2013 that will play host to a substantive debate on European security and defence matters; if he will outline the stage discussions within his Department have reached; his views on whether the summit may change the nature of public debate here regarding collective security and defence in the EU in view of the recent comments by the President of the Council, Herman Van Rompuy, that the EU needs a long-term and more systematic approach to co-operation in this policy field; if pooling of Irish defence resources is going to be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43711/13]

Land Issues

Andrew Doyle

114. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the bodies of the State responsible for bonds and land bonds between the years of 1930 and 1980; if bonds that were issued between these years are still claimable if a State body that issued bonds between these years is no longer in existence; the State body that now has the records for this period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43721/13]

Election Management System

Andrew Doyle

214. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the process for the selection of venues as polling booths for elections and referenda; if any guidelines are issued by his Department for the selection of venues; his views on whether community halls should be used, where available, as opposed to schools, thus allowing schools to remain open for regular days where voting is held on a week day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43050/13]