Parliamentary questions

Government Bonds

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

61. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he has investigated the effect on the State's finances of the Central Bank of Ireland accelerating its disposal of the Irish Government bonds in its investment account; if he has further investigated the potential effect on the State's finances of such an accelerated disposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18328/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

61. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 231 of 8 April 2014, in view of the fact that he has accepted that there is no need for workbooks in schools, if he has told teachers to discontinue the use of these workbooks which are a significant expense and burden on parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18173/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

64. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 8 April 2014, in view of the fact that all boards of management that have been encountered are unaware that the decision on whether to use workbooks is for them to make, if he will ensure that all boards of management are notified that this is a decision for them to make and that it is not a matter for teaching staff; when communicating this responsibility to boards of management, if he will ensure that they are reminded, in such communication, of the significant costs of these workbooks and the burden on parents and to keep these considerations in mind when addressing this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18181/14]

School Curriculum

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

73. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 8 April 2014, where he states that schools also will respond in various ways to meet the diverse needs of pupils and to ensure that the history curriculum reflects the local environment and experiences of the local community in the past, the way the curriculum will differ for students studying in Castlerea and those studying in Ballaghaderreen; the person responsible for providing the various curricula for the various localities; if he has set up some sort of local rights commission that will draw the boundaries of the localities to which specific curricula are applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18236/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

140. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence further to Question No. 479 of 8 April 2014, in which he stated that he was satisfied that there are statutory and administrative procedures in place in the Department to address any reports of allegations of wrongdoing, if he will clarify, bearing in mind the recent failures of communication between those working in direct and close proximity to him, whether he is satisfied that the existing procedures are adequate; the reason for the recent failures of communication between him and his immediate subordinates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18172/14]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

172. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions he has had with his counterpart, Minister Hammond, in the UK in order to seek an exemption for the A5 in Northern Ireland and that this exemption would facilitate the commerce and trade between Republic of Ireland to Republic of Ireland HGV traffic when transiting through the Six Counties; the way in which this would operate as the A5 route cannot be accessed by hauliers coming from Donegal without first having to travel on a contributory road; if these contributory roads are also to be made exempt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18182/14]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

173. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 192 of 9 April 2014, he touched upon HGV operators relocating to other jurisdictions; if he is doing all in their power to sustain these much needed jobs and avert any loss of revenue to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18184/14]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

174. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 192 of 9 April 2014 if he will clarify what happens in the event of a road closure or accident on the A5 route should traffic be diverted, as is often the case; the way a situation like this will affect HGV operators who have not paid the levy; in such an event, it may not have been a haulier's intention to use any other road but the A5, but due to said diversion must now travel on an alternative route; the way this affects them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18185/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

232. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 3 October 2013, when asked to explain return to risk, if he will confirm the date on which and the reasons for the decision; the reason he agreed to a return to risk element with Bus Éireann for the payment to Bus Éireann for the school transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/14]

Land Reclassification

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

517. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make public the scheme of trust for the Laurencetown cow park and sports field trust; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17398/14]

EU Regulations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

529. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the relevant article or articles in Council Regulation 504/2008 which authorise the Irish implementing rule, as enacted by Article 5(4) of SI No. 357 of 2011 European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011 (as amended); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17920/14]

Motorised Transport Grant Applications

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

572. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health when he will reinstate the motorised transport grant; if he will be allocating a budget for the same grant; if he will look into the situation of a person (detail supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17339/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

56. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the longest waiting times and travelling times and the total times for pupils of different age categories for primary school and post-primary schools within which Bus Éireann are obliged to carry children to and from schools; the commencement times, end times, travelling times and waiting times; and if he will answer in sufficient detail and form to enable pupils and parents to see if there is compliance; the penalties that are imposed on Bus Éireann for breach of these obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16876/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

57. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form a list of routes or landing boards giving the route number, the first pick up point and terminus point that have had longer waiting times and travel times totals for whatever reason than the agreed times; the number of days that the service was outside the agreed times that children have to be brought to and from schools for each category for primary school and post-primary schools within the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16878/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

58. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form for schools in County Roscommon for the school years, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 in respect of minibus, medium bus and large bus as a category, the list of routes-landing boards giving the route number and first pick up point and terminus point; the route distances in kilometres; the maximum number of pupils on each route; the maximum waiting times that occur for each route; the average waiting times for each route; the maximum travelling times that occur for each route and the average travelling times for each route and show the national averages for comparative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16880/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

60. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the Ombudsman’s ruling in dealing with school transport that there is an onus on public bodies to provide fair and transparent procedures and that the current system regarding the pickup density of pupils in a distinct locality is decided on a basis without an objective published criterion or any rule to define a distinct locality for ten pupils in an area at the personal discretion of Bus Éireann employee and that his Department’s website indicates that a distinct locality is simply what Bus Éireann says it is and in order to comply with the ombudsman’s ruling the action he will take on that matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16895/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

71. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate in tabular form for schools in County Roscommon from the financial year 2010 onwards regarding the school transport scheme in respect of children with special needs as a single category; the average number of pupils carried; the total number carried; the cost per pupil on an average basis; the cost per pupil on total number basis; the breakdown between taxi costs and attendant cost; the percentage cost increase or decrease per child for the period on a yearly basis; the national averages for comparative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16967/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

72. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate for schools in County Roscommon for the school years, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 in respect of minibus, medium bus and large bus as a category, the list of routes; the route distances; the maximum number of pupils on each route; the maximum waiting times that occur for each route; the average waiting times for each route; the national averages for comparative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16968/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

73. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the Ombudsman’s ruling in dealing with school transport that there is an onus on public bodies to provide fair and transparent procedures and that the current system regarding the pickup density of pupils in a distinct locality is decided on an arbitrary basis without an objective criterion or any rule to define a distinct locality for ten pupils in some vague notional area at the whim of someone and it seems therefore that a "distinct locality" is simply what a Bus Éireann inspector says it is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16969/14]

School Transport Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

74. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will arrange to publish a route plan for all schools in County Roscommon as if all eligible pupils based on distance criteria would be catered for and separately regardless of distance and invite applications and provide a service over a two-year test period based on cost per pupil and see by way of a national test what the take-up of the service would be and calculate the impact on traffic, national savings for the economy to have school transport as opposed to private transport costs, travelling times and waiting times for the children based on increased number and more direct routes and less traffic and the cost per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16970/14]