Parliamentary questions

State Debt

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

101. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the amount of interest the €25 billion we borrowed to buy off the promissory notes is costing us this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16236/14]

State Debt

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

102. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the amount of interest the €25 billion we borrowed to buy off the promissory notes cost us in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16237/14]

State Debt

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

103. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance as the new sovereign bonds from the €25 billion in bonds that were issued to the Central Bank on 8 February 2013 are sold off, the amount in interest projected to be paid on an annual basis, for as far into the future as those projections have been made, to the EU fund from which the €25 billion was borrowed and as coupon to the private investors who purchase those bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16238/14]

Central Bank of Ireland

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

104. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify what will happen to the €500 million that will be taken in by the Central Bank of Ireland when the first bond is sold this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16239/14]

Central Bank of Ireland

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

105. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify what will happen to the subsequent €24.5 billion taken in by the Central Bank of Ireland as the remaining bonds are sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16240/14]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

174. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department, it will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected personally to exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17104/14]

Information and Communications Technology

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

225. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 27 February 2014, the reason the professional development service for teachers is sanctioning the use and purchase of iPads by students, when a much cheaper and more useful tablet is available on which one can use Microsoft Office applications and study for ECDL and many other computer courses, unlike the iPad, which is not compatible with the most common applications such as Word and Excel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16652/14]

Information and Communications Technology

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

226. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 140 of 11 March 2014, when teachers can choose a tablet such as the Microsoft Surface 2 which is, compatible with Microsoft Office applications such as, Word, Excel and Powerpoint, can be used for ECDL examination preparation and training for teachers and students and can be used for learning of visual basic, C sharp and C++ programming and SQL database language, but instead, the teachers choose a toy fashion accessory, the Apple iPad, at twice the cost to parents, and which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned learning, is the Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) completely neutral in respect of this damaging choice by teachers; his views that this is a damaging decision and one on which he will take immediate action to rectify and in order to prevent further damage to the prospects and opportunities of our students and in order to minimise expense to parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16653/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

227. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date of the decision to use workbooks in national primary schools; the persons involved in this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16654/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

229. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 11 March 2014, regarding decisions on the use of workbooks, in his answer on the use of textbooks, quotes what he calls, The Guidelines that accompany the Primary School Curriculum, 1999, which state that it should be noted that textbooks, of their very nature, cannot adequately cover local history studies and should therefore be regarded as only one source among many for the teaching of history; the resource that students will rely on for their learning of local history, bearing in mind that most history teachers are not natives of the places in which they teach; with this new emphasis on local history, if the cutback in other history teaching will be that of national or European history or will there be an increase in the hours spent teaching history; with the new emphasis on local history, his views that, for example, Roscommon or Sligo people would be less interested in Humbert’s arrival in Killala than Mayo people, or that Dublin people would have no interest in the Battle of the Boyne; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16657/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

230. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 11 March 2014, regarding decisions on the use of workbooks, in which he stated that the Education Act, 1998, places a responsibility on boards of management to manage the school on behalf of the patron of the school and for the benefit of the students and parents, and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school, boards of management, in exercising their function to ensure that an appropriate education is provided for students, have the authority to determine school policy on this matter, it seems clear, that he is saying that boards of management have the authority to determine school policy on this matter, however in the next sentence he states that, teachers under the guidance of the senior management of the school must make decisions on the textbooks or workbooks to be used in line with the school policy determined by the board, if he will explain, whether it is the board of management or the teachers who determine whether or not workbooks are used in a school in the event of a disagreement between the board of management and the teachers as to whether these workbooks should or should not be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16659/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

231. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 11 March 2014, in which he states that, he is conscious of the additional costs that may have to be borne by parents if workbooks are used extensively in schools and the Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools, published by my Department in 2012, to outline a number of strategies that can be used to obviate the need for such workbooks; the definitions of the word "obviate" in my Concise Oxford Dictionary are, "clear away, get rid of, get round, neutralise"; subsumed in his answer is the belief, on his part, that there is a need for these workbooks; the reason he considers that there is a need for these workbooks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16661/14]

School Textbooks

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

232. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 11 March 2014, in which he states that, the Guidelines that accompany the Primary School Curriculum, 1999 acknowledge that carefully selected textbooks may play a role in supporting the implementation of the curriculum but they also warn against an over-reliance on textbooks, stating, for example, in regard to history, that it should be noted that textbooks, of their very nature, cannot adequately cover local history studies and should therefore be regarded as only one source among many for the teaching of history, he has already stated publicly that, for example in County Wexford, students should be taught about Vinegar Hill, his views on whether different history is taught in different parts of the country and whether the landing of Humbert in Killala is of interest to and should be taught only to County Mayo people, or that the Siege of Limerick, should only be taught to County Limerick people; his views on whether there is a need for authoritative and well reviewed textbooks for students as a need to overcome the shortcomings of the many awful and inadequate history teachers; his views on whether there is a need for authoritative and well reviewed textbooks for students in order to ensure that there is consistency in the teaching of history throughout the country and that there can be no disadvantages arising for students of a particular area when taking examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16662/14]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

239. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department, the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17102/14]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

256. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department, the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17109/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

274. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department that the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17107/14]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

337. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will ensure that when a communication in respect of wrongdoing is received in his Department, it will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that said function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17099/14]

Ministerial Responsibilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

351. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will ensure that when a communication in respect of wrongdoing is received in his Department, it will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that said function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17100/14]

Election Management System

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

367. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the positions of invigilator at polling stations for the European and local elections 2014 can be filled by those on the live register of unemployed; his views on whether this would be a positive, if small, step to include those who are currently excluded from work and income in our society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16125/14]

National Roads Authority Remit

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

371. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding correspondence being issued by Laois County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16230/14]

Water Services Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

386. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to the setting up of Irish Water, what will become of those water schemes that currently own their own infrastructure but get their water from a local authority; the way they will be charged for the water they distribute through pipelines that they developed and installed themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16523/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

412. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department it will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17103/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

470. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that when a communication on wrongdoing is received in his Department the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17108/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

479. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence if he will ensure that when a communication on wrongdoing is received in his Department the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17101/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

514. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17098/14]

Medicinal Products Availability

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

662. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 11 February 2014 where the Health Service Executive stated that currently clients with medical cards can avail of continence products, therefore any client on disability allowance who also has a medical card is deemed eligible; the year in which this commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16645/14]

Hospital Charges

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

663. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 11 February 2014, where the Health Service Executive stated (details supplied); if he will clarify in regard to the the class 1 and class 2 charges when they are applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16646/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

691. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that when a communication on wrongdoing is received in his Department that the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to exercise personally the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17106/14]

Departmental Correspondence

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

744. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that when a communication in relation to wrongdoing is received in his Department that the communication will be deemed to have come to his attention; if he will confirm that, while he is not expected to personally exercise the function of dealing with wrongdoing, he is responsible for ensuring that the function is exercised;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17111/14]

Ministerial Travel

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

24. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will make known the full costs of sending Ministers and Ministers of State to foreign lands to mark St. Patrick's Day; if he will point to any other nation that does similar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10352/14]

National Lottery Franchises

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

94. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the national lottery franchises are being closed down in rural areas; if this is a purely economic decision; if so, his views on whether this decision will disenfranchise citizens who live in remote areas; if he agrees that where a national lottery franchise is lost that the loss in itself will lead to even further erosion of facilities to those who live in rural Ireland; if he agrees that where a business combines lotto, post office and a general shop that the withdrawal of the lotto franchise will put such businesses under further strain (details supplied); the reason no explanation was given to long-term franchisees for withdrawal of the franchise; the appeals process available to such franchisees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15787/14]

Fish Landings

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

203. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the figures given by a person (details supplied) to the Committee of Public Accounts stating that the value of fish stocks taken from Irish waters between 1975 and 2010 by all member states of the EU was €201 billion, only €17 billion worth of which was caught and processed by Irish fishermen and processors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15753/14]

Road Tolls

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

251. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason drivers are being charged full motorway toll prices when the road is being operated as a dual carriageway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15448/14]

Community Development Initiatives

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

380. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of the financial allocations to community fora for the year 2014; his plans for alterations to the role and functions of those community fora during the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15274/14]

Ministerial Travel

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

455. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide clarification as to what exactly was involved in the US customs pre-clearance carried out at Dublin Airport before the departure of the ministerial air transport flight on 16 March 2008; if this procedure involved US custom officials boarding the Irish Government aircraft and asking the aircraft crew any questions or checking the list of passengers; if a similar US customs pre-clearance is still carried out at Dublin Airport prior to ministerial air transport flights to the USA; if so, the reason no similar procedure applied to US military aircraft transiting through or arriving at Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15342/14]

Equine Industry

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

468. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine pursuant to article 5(4) of SI 357 of the European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011, as amended, which requires issuing bodies to mark part II of section IX of the passport for equines identified outside the time limits as not intended for human consumption, if he will confirm the number of foals that were born in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, that were stamped or marked out in accordance with article 5(4) of SI 357 of 2011; if he will provide a breakdown of that number between the various issuing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14953/14]

Road Safety

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

633. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider making it mandatory for dash cameras to be attached to the front and rear of all motor vehicles to monitor and regulate speeding and ensure safer driving conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15038/14]

Ministerial Transport

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

148. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence if the Government executive jet operated by the Defence Forces was searched this year before it took An Taoiseach to Washington for the St. Patrick's Day ceremony, as happened on 16 March 2008; if not, the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14260/14]

Shannon Airport Facilities

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

162. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that US soldiers carry their rifles while on board planes using Shannon Airport; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a US Air Force plane which landed at Shannon Airport was equipped with a 30 mm cannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13612/14]

Flood Relief Schemes Funding

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

403. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 214 and 215 of 10 December 2013, if he will clarify whether he was referring to the Athleague Flood Alleviation Committee, or to the River Suck Joint Drainage Committee in his answers; if he will explain what the €270,000 was spent on; if he will give an assurance that any future allocations of money to the prevention of flooding in Athleague will be spent on Athleague and not on other issues in County Roscommon; if he will consider coming to Athleague to view what the €270,000 achieved in terms of infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13153/14]

JobsPlus Scheme

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

518. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason single mothers who want to work cannot work under the JobsPlus scheme (details supplied), as they are not considered unemployed until their child is of seven years of age and are thus the recipient of a single parent payment and deemed not eligible to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13519/14]

Renewable Energy Exports

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

608. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason the report study on the viability and cost-benefit analysis for Ireland of exporting renewable electricity (RES-E) using the Co-operation Mechanism in Directive 2009/28/EC has not been made public; his views that under the Aarhus Convention this report should be made available to the public and to the groups opposing the building of large windmills in the midlands and other parts of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13287/14]

Planning Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

622. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will attend the oral hearing into the Government's latest energy project for north Mayo, the proposed Owenniny and Cluddaun wind farms which proposes 160 turbines larger than any existing onshore in Ireland, or the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13707/14]

Defence Forces Retirement Scheme

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

833. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence when he will reply to the claim submitted by PDFORRA to his Department regarding the issue of extending privates and corporals beyond 21 years service in the Defence Forces; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost to the Exchequer will be greater than if these men and women were to remain within the Defence Forces; if he considers it to be more beneficial to the capacity of the Defence Forces if these personnel were retained within the forces, as their talents and experience will be lost if they are forced out of the forces due to the requirement of promotion to the rank of sergeant; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this claim has been with his Department for over one and a half years now and that it will start to impact in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13613/14]

Naval Service Vessels

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

837. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider purchasing an aircraft carrier to protect Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13857/14]

Health Services Staff

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

1049. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that those working as home help and being paid by the Health Service Executive are being paid 28 cents less per hour if they elect to be paid by cheque instead of having their wages transferred directly into their bank accounts; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are about 40 such persons in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13290/14]

Land Acquisition

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

1242. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 283 of 28 February 2014, if he will provide further clarification which identifies the party with whom CIE held the relevant land sale negotiations between 1994 and 2002; the volume of negotiation that occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13059/14]

Water Quality

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

5. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ask Roscommon County Council to provide bottled water for the residents of the county as compensation for not being able to drink the council's supply for which the public pays through direct taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12211/14]

Information and Communications Technology

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

140. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 27 February 2014, the reason the Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) is sanctioning the use and purchase of iPads by students, when a much cheaper and more useful tablet is available on which one can use Microsoft Office Applications and study for ECDL and many other computer courses, unlike the iPad, which is not compatible with the most common applications such as Word and Excel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11828/14]

School Textbooks Code of Practice

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

141. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 27 February 2014, the reason boards of management of schools are now being asked to involve themselves in curriculum matters such as decisions on the use of workbooks; his plans to involve them in other teaching or curriculum matters; if he will advise the way the matter is resolved, when the chosen policy of the board of management, in respect of workbooks, is opposed by the principal and teachers in that school; his views that, it is undesirable that the board of management should be put on a collision course with the teachers who will always choose the use of workbooks because it makes their own job easier but at huge cost to parents; his views that possession and use of good textbooks give a sense of ownership of the subject to students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11829/14]