Parliamentary questions

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Seán Fleming

675. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail in tabular form the amount paid to consultants since February 2011; the name of each organisation used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37564/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Seán Fleming

676. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the political activities of each special adviser, special press advisers, or any other type of ministerial adviser in her Department; if any of them were members of a political party; if so the parties to which they belonged; if any of them are or have been elected local authority members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37580/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Seán Fleming

677. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent by her Department on drivers and ministerial transport since February 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37596/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Seán Fleming

678. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by her Department, including payments from ministerial allowances, details of the consultants employed and costs of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37628/12]

Universal Social Charge Payments

Seán Fleming

685. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider including the universal social charge as an exclusion from income similar to the exclusion of PRSI and travelling expenses of €20 per week when considering applications for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37736/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

Seán Fleming

687. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will supply a list of all Labour Court recommendations that have been issued in respect of her Department and organisations under her aegis that have not been complied with in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37759/12]

Pensions Legislation

Seán Fleming

692. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to amend legislation dealing with private pensions in the private sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37823/12]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Seán Fleming

693. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding recruiting persons with a disability; the number of persons currently employed in her Department; the number of persons with a disability who have been employed since 1 January 2011 to date in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37843/12]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Seán Fleming

695. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that people who are approved carers and only in receipt of half rate should not be specifically singled out for a cut as they are carrying out a lot of work for this additional payment, thereby saving the Exchequer a large amount of money, and that in fact this payment should be re-categorised as an allowance other than another normal social welfare payment because this is actually a payment for work and not for social welfare purposes; if she will give a commitment to protect the people who are providing this service for a maximum of 60 cent per hour for each hour they work in the week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37850/12]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Seán Fleming

696. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline in respect of people who are on the half-rate carers allowance the breakdown of the primary payments that these people are in receipt of in the first instance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37851/12]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Seán Fleming

697. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons here on the half-rate carer's allowance and if this will be broken down on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37852/12]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Seán Fleming

698. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection her proposals regarding locating staff (details supplied) in County Laois and the current position on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37853/12]

Disability Allowance Appeals

Seán Fleming

752. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when a medical assessment by another medical assessor will be carried out in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois in respect of their disability allowance claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38229/12]

State Bodies Establishment

Seán Fleming

890. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of State bodies that have been set up since 9 March 2011; the rationale behind these decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40001/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Seán Fleming

892. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the names of special advisers for whom salary increases have been requested; the amount requested; the details of those granted increases and the amount by which they were increased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40025/12]

Ministerial Adviser Appointments

Seán Fleming

916. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number and names of all special advisers, special press advisers, or any other type of Ministerial adviser in his Department; the name of the Minister / Minister of State to whom he reports; the salary of each adviser now; the salary of each adviser at the time they were appointed; if any salary increase was asked for; if this was granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37487/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Seán Fleming

917. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide detail in tabular form the names of all external public relations and consultancy persons and organisations used by his Department for the years 2011 and 2010; the amount paid to each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37503/12]

Ministerial Staff

Seán Fleming

918. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the gross annual salary costs for his private and constituency offices at present; the same figures for this time last year; the same figures for any Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37520/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Seán Fleming

919. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail in tabular form the amount paid on external public relations and communications consultants since February 2011; the reason for the payment; the name of each organisation used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37536/12]

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Seán Fleming

920. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail in tabular form the amount paid to consultants since February 2011; the name of each organisation used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37552/12]