Parliamentary questions

Property Tax Collection

Catherine Murphy

203. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance the reason for situations where a person, liable for property tax, whose sole income derives from a social welfare payment, wishes to have the tax deducted from a weekly income but is prevented from doing so as it would result in that weekly income falling below a minimum essential standard of living and is then forced to pay by other means such as by credit card, which incurs extra charges; if he will explain the way it is considered acceptable by the State to charge low-income persons for local property tax in a single amount while it is not considered acceptable by the State to charge them the same or lower sum in instalments; if he will explain the failures to anticipate this situation in designing the local property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2461/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

204. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the amount his Department spends on an annual basis in payments to consultancy firms (details supplied). [2477/14]

European Central Bank

Clare Daly

205. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason he has not taken action under Articles 35:1 and 340 of ECB statutes and initiated the taking of a case to the ECJ seeking clarification of the legality of the ECB's actions in October-November 2010 in forcing Ireland to repay unsecured debts. [2486/14]

Financial Services Regulation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

206. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will call for a full investigation by the relevant authorities into the activities of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2507/14]

Tax Credits

Michael McGrath

207. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will address an issue raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the one parent family tax credit. [2508/14]

Financial Services Regulation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

208. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that all the required application forms and required details were supplied to the Central Bank by a person (details supplied) at the time an application was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2509/14]

Company Law

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

209. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance due to the reported value of debts in a company's accounts, if he will call for a full investigation by the Revenue Commissioners into the accounts of companies (details supplied) as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2511/14]

Tax Credits

Michael Creed

210. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the situation regarding entitlement to the single parent tax credit where the couple have separated and the mother of the child has remarried and where custody and access are shared by virtue of legal agreement; if he will confirm that the father of the child who remains single is entitled to the credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2522/14]

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme Applications

Derek Nolan

211. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Finance if there is a breakdown, by county, of the homeowners who have availed of the home renovation scheme tax break; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2537/14]

EU Budget Contribution

Michael McGrath

212. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the reason Ireland's 2013 EU budget contribution exceeded the budget day forecast by €300 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2580/14]

Banking Sector

Michael McGrath

213. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on the early involvement of a strategic or capital market based investor for Permanent TSB as part of its long-term plan to return to market ownership. [2581/14]

EU Directives

Michael McGrath

214. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance when he envisages the bank resolution and recovery directive coming into force; the way banks would be recapitalised prior to its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2582/14]

IBRC Bonds

Thomas P. Broughan

215. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has provided all required information to his Department on bonds held by local authorities with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; and if he will indicate the status of these bonds. [2588/14]

Tax Code

Noel Grealish

216. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Finance if there is a discrepancy in the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 where section 97(2)(b) provides for a deduction in respect of any rate levied by a local authority which is used by the Revenue Commissioners as a reason to disallow the former non-principal private residence charge as a deduction from rental income, whereas section 97(2)(d) states that the cost of maintenance, repairs, insurance and management of the premises is allowed; if any update on the legislation affecting these two sections is planned or in the process of being addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2643/14]

Tax Credits

Clare Daly

217. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify comments made during discussion on the Finance Bill in relation to changes to the single parent credit to the effect that the higher band would be retained by single fathers, resulting in them losing the credit of €1,650 but not the credit of €840 associated with the higher band, whereas it has now emerged that they will in fact lose both amounting to a very serious cutback for this category of person; and the action he will take regarding same. [2701/14]

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme Eligibility

Niall Collins

218. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance the tax relief exemptions available for a purpose (details supplied). [2743/14]

NAMA Social Housing Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

219. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the way the special purpose vehicle established by the National Asset Management Agency has resulted in expediting the allocation of suitable units to social housing providers; and the number of units that have been transferred to approved housing bodies and local authorities since the NARPS was established. [2785/14]

Tax Credits

Clare Daly

220. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the statement made during discussions on the recent Finance Bill that the cuts to the single parent tax credit would not cost the full amount in the first year, as these changes seem to have come into effect immediately. [2806/14]

Tax Collection

Jerry Buttimer

221. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Finance the number of taxpayers earning less than €30,000 per annum; the numbers of which are private or public sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2818/14]

Tax Credits

Jerry Buttimer

222. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person deemed to be self-employed as they work for their own limited company receives less of a tax credit than other employees of the same company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2819/14]

Universal Social Charge Exemptions

Jack Wall

223. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare should be exempt from paying the universal social charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2830/14]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

224. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is investigating the loss of documents related to the bank guarantee in 2009. [2866/14]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

225. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the officeholders in the previous and current Government who would have had access to the letters that cannot be found at his Department relating to the bank guarantee in 2009. [2867/14]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

226. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will carry out a full audit to ascertain if any further document relating to the bank guarantee have been lost. [2868/14]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

227. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is confident that all information in his Department that might be relevant to a banking inquiry is still available. [2869/14]

Departmental Records

Pearse Doherty

228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the procedures that exist in his Department for the maintenance of sensitive files; if he will review these procedures in view of the loss of documents relating to the bank guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2870/14]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Catherine Byrne

229. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Finance the voluntary and community organisations funded by his Department in 2013, or the most recent year for which information is available; and the amount provided in each case and the purpose for which it was provided. [2873/14]

European Investment Bank Loans

Pearse Doherty

230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amounts Ireland received from the European Investment Bank for each year since 2008; and if he will provide a breakdown by project of what this money funded or part-funded. [2955/14]

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Peadar Tóibín

231. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is no dedicated office within his Department to support, fund and respond to the demand for Irish-medium education; and the reason much needed resources have not been made available to oversubscribed gaelscoileanna; and the reason the North of Ireland's progress in the development of Irish-medium education cannot be replicated here in order that the educational needs of parents, teachers and students are met. [2653/14]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision

Joe Higgins

232. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has estimated the potential drop out rate by apprentices from courses they have undertaken with FÁS/SOLAS arising from the introduction of fees for those courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2333/14]

Bullying in Schools

Bernard Durkan

233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department has monitored incidents of bullying among children or teenagers; if any particular issues have arisen wherein it might be possible to discourage all forms of bullying of young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53794/13]

Departmental Reports

Barry Cowen

234. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if he will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2359/14]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision

Mattie McGrath

235. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the new fees applicable to trainee apprentices in view of the undue hardship this fee will impose on some of the lowest earners in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2371/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Tom Fleming

236. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide funding to the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, to enable them to proceed with their plans to develop a proper facility to replace the current restricted and totally inadequate and cramped play area which is a health and safety hazard for the 111 children attending this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2387/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Noel Coonan

237. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the timeframe for completion of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2394/14]

Proposed Legislation

Patrick Nulty

238. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the education (admissions to schools) Bill; the provision the Bill will make to ensure that all children have appropriate access to State-funded schools; his views on the practice whereby some schools ask for the baptismal certificates of pupils before enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2399/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Michael Lowry

239. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills his view on whether it is fair that a school that has commenced a school book rental scheme is excluded from the recently announced book rental grant, even if this scheme is only operational in one class at present; if he will consider extending this to include schools that have a partial book rental scheme; if he will review the case of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary to determine their eligibility for grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2405/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

240. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for summer works grant in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2406/14]

School Guidance Counsellors

Michael Healy-Rae

241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reverse the decision that was taken in September 2012 to cut school counselling services as this is having a deep and serious effect on our young people who suffer from bullying, self-harm and low self-esteem on a daily basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2414/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Michael McGrath

242. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to an issue raised in correspondence (details supplied) by a primary school principal in Cork City; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2422/14]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Finian McGrath

243. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a student grant in respect of a person (details supplied). [2468/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

244. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount his Department spends on an annual basis in payments to consultancy firms (details supplied). [2475/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Terence Flanagan

245. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools in Dublin North-East and Dublin North Central that are availing of the book rental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2526/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

246. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the position regarding the review of the visiting teacher service for visually impaired children; and to confirm that the service will not be subject to cuts following the review. [2583/14]

Schools Building Projects Expenditure

Noel Grealish

247. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount that has been spent by his Department on schools building projects in 2012 and 2013; the amount of the five-year capital building project that has been spent to date; the number of schools that are at stage 2A in the schools building programme; the number of schools that are through all planning stages and ready for construction; the number of schools that are awaiting ministerial approval to proceed to construction; if he will list these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2591/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Brendan Griffin

248. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a summer works scheme grant will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2597/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Brendan Griffin

249. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a summer works scheme grant will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry. [2598/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Brendan Griffin

250. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a summer works scheme grant will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2599/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

251. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on reports that autistic children are being confined in withdrawal rooms for extended periods without supervision during school hours; his views regarding guidelines on the use of these rooms being set by the board of management of individual schools rather than at national level; his views on whether this is an appropriate method to deal with children with autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2608/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Brendan Griffin

252. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a summer works scheme grant will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2635/14]