Parliamentary questions

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Éamon Ó Cuív

147. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if the rules in relation to the maximum size of property eligible under the home choice loan scheme are absolute in all cases or whether there are any exceptions allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39894/12]

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Éamon Ó Cuív

148. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of approvals given to date under the home choice loan scheme; the number of loans paid out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39895/12]

Local Authority Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

154. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the total amount allocated in this year's Estimates for payment to local authorities as a block grant; the amount that will now be withheld due to non payment of the household charge and if it is intended to surrender this money to the Exchequer at the end of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39932/12]

Local Authority Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

155. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the amount that will be withheld from each local authority this year in funding to them from his Department due to non-payment of the household charge; the percentage of the block grant involved; the method by which this amount of money was calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39933/12]

Local Government Reform

Éamon Ó Cuív

156. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the date on which it is proposed to set up the commission to examine local authority boundaries; if he intendeds to abolish any local authorities or town councils; the proposed terms of reference of the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39934/12]

Agriculture Schemes Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

201. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if new entrants to farming are entitled to claim the disadvantaged area scheme payment and join the REP scheme and agri environment options scheme, if open, from the year of entry into farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39955/12]

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

154. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of pesons who have registered their waste water systems under the Water Services Act 2012 broken down by county; the estimated total number of such systems in each county; the percentage registered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39556/12]

Leader Programmes Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

158. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid a Leader grant approved to them by MFG; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39618/12]

Scoileanna Oileáin

Éamon Ó Cuív

464. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén fáth a tharraing sé siar an deich n-uaire an chloig de mhúinteoireacht tacaíochta foghlama ginearálta a raibh scoláirí Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin ina teideal, céard é an dochar measta a dhéanfaidh sé seo do na scoláirí; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [39047/12]

Scéimeanna Teanga

Éamon Ó Cuív

861. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cén uair a aontófar an dara scéim teanga leis an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta; agus cén chúis atá leis an moill ar a haontú; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [39044/12]

Forbairt Calaí agus Céanna

Éamon Ó Cuív

898. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le huasghrádú agus forbairt a dhéanamh ar Ché Inis Oírr, cén uair a bhfuil súil aige go dtosóidh an obair ar an gcé; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [39048/12]

Seirbhísí Farantóireactha

Éamon Ó Cuív

926. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén fáth nach raibh cruinniú ann den Choiste Monatóireachta do na seirbhísí farantóireachta chuig Oileáin Árann le sé mhí anuas; cén uair a bheidh an chéad chruinniú eile den choiste ann; agus an bhfuil sé i gceist go mbeidh cruinniú gach sé mhí ann as seo amach. [37777/12]

Scéimeanna Teanga

Éamon Ó Cuív

936. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta cén uair a aontaíodh an chéad scéim teanga leis an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí; cén uair a bhfuil súil aige an dara scéim a aontú; cé na socruithe a bheidh ann chun a chinntiú go mbeidh na coinníollacha céanna ann maidir le hoifigigh leasa pobail ag soláthar seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge do phobal na Gaeltachta agus a bhí ann nuair a bhí an cúram seo ar Fheidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [39043/12]

Scéimeanna Teanga

Éamon Ó Cuív

937. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta céard é líon na scéimeanna teanga a d'fhaomh sé gach bliain ó tháinig Acht na dTeangacha i bhfeidhm; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [39045/12]

Scéimeanna Teanga

Éamon Ó Cuív

938. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon; Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta céard é líon na scéimeanna teanga a aontaíodh go dáta agus líon na scéimeanna a bhfuil a dtréimhse trí bliana caite; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [39046/12]

Nitrates Action Programme Implementation

Éamon Ó Cuív

1008. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if in view of the very wet weather this summer and the need to conserve fodder it is intended to relax the rules in relation to the spreading of fertiliser this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37893/12]

Water and Sewerage Scheme Grants

Éamon Ó Cuív

1060. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends increasing the maximum grants under the group sewerage and group water schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37855/12]

RAPID Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

1061. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government when it is intended to hold the next meeting of the national rapid coordinating committee; if he intends attending this meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37856/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund Management

Éamon Ó Cuív

1062. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he intends running a module for flagship projects using dormant account funding similar to that delivered by the previous Government in view of the success of the previous round of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37857/12]

Leader Programmes Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

1063. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the amount of money allocated to each Leader company broken down between administration and project expenditure; the amount approved for expenditure by each company to date for project expenditure; the expenditure to date in each company broken down between administration and project expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37858/12]

Environmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

1064. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the date of all meetings that have been held of Comhairle na Tuaithe since March 2011; the number of these meetings he attended; the proposed date for the next meeting of Comhairle na Tuaithe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37859/12]

Nitrates Action Programme Implementation

Éamon Ó Cuív

1065. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if in view of the very wet weather this year it is intended to extend the latest date for slurry spreading this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37894/12]

Environmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

1117. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the number of meetings held since its inception of Comhairle na Tuaithe; the date of each meeting; his attendance or otherwise at these meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37866/12]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

1125. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he intends to provide insurance or an indemnity scheme to landowners who allow hill walkers walk their land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38414/12]

Sexual Offences

Éamon Ó Cuív

1196. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends reviewing the law in relation to sexual offences to ensure that those who carry out sexual attacks receive appropriate sentences particularly in view of the sentence handed down by the courts recently in the Lyons case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37778/12]

Prisoner Transfers

Éamon Ó Cuív

1286. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a prisoner (details supplied) at present incarcerated in Northern Ireland for offences committed prior to the Good Friday Agreement would be entitled to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and the Weston Park Agreement in relation to early release if they transferred to a prison here, subject to their being entitled to early realease if they remained in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39178/12]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Éamon Ó Cuív

1381. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of farmers who received single payment in 2011 in each of the following categories, €100,000 or more; €75,000 and less than €100,000; €50,000 and less than €75,000; €25,000 and less than €50,000; €10,000 and less than €25,000; and less than €10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37860/12]

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Éamon Ó Cuív

1382. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have single farm payment entitlements of in excess of €1,000 per hectare; the number of farmers with entitlements of between €500 per hectare and less than €1,000 per hectare; the number with entitlements of between €250 and less than €500 per hectare; the number with entitlements of between €100 per hectare and less than €250 per hectare; the number with entitlements of less than €100 pe hectare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37861/12]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions

Éamon Ó Cuív

1383. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine when he intends re-opening the agri-environment options scheme; if this scheme, when re-opened, will be open to farmers on non Natura 2000 sites; if it is proposed to retain the stonewall maintenance option at €0.50 per meter up to a maximum of €2,000 as part of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37891/12]

Single Payment Scheme Appeals

Éamon Ó Cuív

1384. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he intends to change the cross-compliance rules for small farmers under 10 hectare so that they do not suffer total loss of their grants for very small hectarage of over claims and where a 3% over-claim is at most 0.3 of a hectare and often much less; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37892/12]

Bovine Disease Controls

Éamon Ó Cuív

1385. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will consider amending the rules in relation to neighbouring herds, where a doubtful animal is found on a farm during a TB test, farmers must re-test their animals if they have not been tested in the last four months, by relaxing this rule to six months particularly in view of the very difficult year in farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37896/12]

Oifigí Roinne

Éamon Ó Cuív

1387. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta; Bia agus Mara an bhfuil sé i gceist an oifig talmhaíochta atá ag a Roinn i gCathair na Gaillimhe a bhogadh go Baile Átha an Rí; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [37898/12]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Application Numbers

Éamon Ó Cuív

1393. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of letters issued to farmers, broken down on a county by county basis, in relation to stocking density under the new rules of the disadvantaged area scheme 2012; the number of replies received from each county seeking a derogation from the conditions of the scheme as provided in these letters; the amount of time it will take to reach a decision on the applications for a derogation; the total amount of savings it is projected will be made by these new rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37958/12]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

1427. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the budget allocation for the REP scheme and agri environment option schemes in the past three yerars; the amount paid out each year for both schemes, including the payments to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39175/12]

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Éamon Ó Cuív

1428. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of both the entitlements and the number of hectares for farmers in receipt of the single payment, with the entitlements per hectare cross referenced to the number of hectares in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39176/12]

Noxious Weeds Act

Éamon Ó Cuív

1429. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the actions that have been taken in 2012 to ensure compliance with the noxious weeds legislation with reference in particular to the spread of ragwort; the number of prosecutions pending; the number of these that have been taken against public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39177/12]

Family Support Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

1476. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the 45% reduction in funding from the Family Support Agency to an agency (details supplied) in Galway; if the decision will be reviewed in view of the important work being done by this organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37954/12]

Pension Provisions

Éamon Ó Cuív

1681. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if the nominated health agencies' superannuation scheme pension payments deficit will be funded through the annual health Vote provided by the State to the Health Service Executive for the payment of health services pension benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37901/12]

Rail Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

1908. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he intends to re-open the Athenry to Tuam Railway line to passenger traffic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37803/12]

Rail Services

Éamon Ó Cuív

1909. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he intends to open the Athenry to Claremorris railway line to freight traffic in view of the recently announced plans for the Port of Foynes and the potential for freight carriage on this line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37804/12]

Sale of State Assets

Éamon Ó Cuív

6 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he completed an impact analysis of potential job losses in the ESB or Bord Gáis when they are part privatised; if he will publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35808/12]

Vocational Education Committees

Éamon Ó Cuív

150 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding made available by him to each of the 33 vocational education committees in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36197/12]

Rural Environment Protection Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

411 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the compensation available to farmers, who were required to destock an area (details supplied) in Connemara, for the years 2012 and 2013 who were in REP scheme and have now left it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36202/12]

Community Development

Éamon Ó Cuív

490 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the schemes, functions and responsibilities that fall under the community section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36193/12]

RAPID Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

491 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the RAPID programme is still operational; the actions carried out under it in 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36194/12]

RAPID Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

492 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of money expended under the RAPID programme in 2011 and the allocation for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36195/12]

RAPID Programme

Éamon Ó Cuív

493 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the last meeting was held of the national rapid co-ordinating committee; if he attended; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36196/12]

Defence Forces Strength

Éamon Ó Cuív

634 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Defence if there are any plans to reduce the number of personnel based at Dún Ui Mhaoilíosa, An Rinn Mhór, Gaillimh; if it is intended to maintain the céad cathlán at full strength; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36200/12]

Suckler Welfare Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

651 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm whether the suckler cow welfare scheme will be operational again in 2013 and in future years in line with the value for money audit and the importance of the scheme in protecting the national suckler herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36198/12]

Rural Environment Protection Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

652 Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the compensation available to farmers and who were required to destock an area (details supplied) in Connemara for the years 2012 and 2013 who were in the REP scheme and have now left it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36201/12]