Parliamentary questions

Arts Funding

John Lyons

184. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to ensure continued investment in the arts, including the allocation of funding to the Arts Council and local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50278/12]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

John Lyons

377. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to offering back to education allowance to those taking part-time courses of study. [49801/12]

HSE Funding

John Lyons

627. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for Health Service Executive grant funding for a group (details supplied) in Dublin 11; when a decision will be made in relation to the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49749/12]

Court Procedures

John Lyons

151. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide further information on his planned reforms of the family court system; the measures that will be implemented to make it a more transparent and open system; and if he will provide a timeline for the publication of any draft legislation in this area. [48899/12]

Teaching Qualifications

John Lyons

291. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will seek to have a special needs assistant (details supplied) in Dublin 12 registered as a teacher and moved to the teaching pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47462/12]

Education and Training Boards Issues

John Lyons

377. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the general criteria that will be used to determine the destination of a training centre or associated external provider under the formation of the new Education and Training Boards; if the situation relating to a case (details supplied) in Dublin 11 will be clarified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48636/12]

Youth Enterprise Initiatives

John Lyons

426. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in view of the fact that there is no specific youth entrepreneurship fund in Ireland, if he will consider setting up a Youth Entrepreneurship Fund on a pilot basis, to help young entrepreneurs access credit to develop business ideas and create employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47723/12]

Youth Enterprise Initiatives

John Lyons

427. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will engage with private sector sources, the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the IMF to source funding for a Youth Entrepreneurship Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47724/12]

Youth Enterprise Initiatives

John Lyons

428. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to engage with local County Enterprise Boards, Enterprise Ireland and others to help support youth enterprise here; his views on whether further targeted supports are required to foster the talent and ideas of our young persons to allow them develop business ideas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47725/12]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

John Lyons

779. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has plans to revisit his plans to close a number of the direct provision centres for asylum seekers in view of the fact that the disruption this will have on the lives of those living in them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47652/12]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

John Lyons

974. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to the concerns expressed regarding the fair deal scheme in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47211/12]

Road Network

John Lyons

717. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details on a road expansion (details supplied) currently being undertaken; if he will clarify the cost to the Exchequer of this project; and if he will clarify if it is being carried out as part of a public-private partnership. [46352/12]

Departmental Funding

John Lyons

231. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will protect funding in 2013 for not for profit organisations on which many persons with neurological conditions are dependent for support, specialist rehabilitation and respite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45474/12]

National Tree Day

John Lyons

104. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail his Department's involvement with the national tree day initiative; if he will consider a tree planting scheme in national schools for the event next year, possibly in conjunction with Coillte to further promote the importance of trees and the environment within our communities. [44966/12]

Afforestation Programme

John Lyons

236. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if provisions will be included during any possible sale of certain Coillte assets, including harvesting rights to Coillte’s forests, that an afforestation programme must be undertaken in order to encourage a gradual increase in the number of trees rather than a short-term sell-off of our forests. [44967/12]

VAT Rates Application

John Lyons

163. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain the reason VAT is applied to carbon taxes in household utility bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44081/12]

Tax Residency Rules Review

John Lyons

166. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance the date on which the outcome of the public consultation on tax residence will be made known; if the recommendations of this review will be made in time to form part of Budget 2013 to ensure that tax exiles make a fair contribution to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44163/12]

Tax Residency Rules Review

John Lyons

167. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance the number of submissions received in relation to the recent public consultation on tax residence rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44164/12]

Tax Residency Rules Review

John Lyons

168. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether a test based on a persons centre of vital interests should be used when determining their tax residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44165/12]

Local Authority Housing Issues

John Lyons

165. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will consider relaxing the rules on sub-letting properties in respect of persons who received mortgages from local authorities via the Housing Finance Agency and who are experiencing mortgage difficulties and are in negative equity. [43592/12]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

John Lyons

166. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will consider allowing persons who received mortgages from local authorities via the Housing Finance Agency and who are experiencing mortgage difficulties and are in negative equity to take part in long-term leasing of their homes back to local authorities, as is an option for some home owners with mortgages from private institutions. [43593/12]

Adoption Records Provision

John Lyons

550. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the rationale behind the maximum declaration approval for Irish applicants of three years for adoptions from Hague Convention approved countries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43132/12]

Adoption Records Provision

John Lyons

551. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to amend the existing restriction of a three year approval period for adoptions from Hague Convention approved countries in view of the situation when the adoption process can take in excess of this period for approved applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43133/12]

Hospital Services

John Lyons

601. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will provide clarification on the level of services provided at the menopause clinic in the Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42840/12]

Property Taxation Application

John Lyons

147. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his plans to take into account mortgage holders in arrears or severe negative equity with the introduction of a property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42141/12]

Tax Reliefs Cost

John Lyons

113. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance the total annual saving to the Exchequer of reducing tax relief on pension contributions including the public service pension related deduction from the marginal rate to the standard rate of income tax; of a reduction in the Standard Fund Threshold from €2.3m to €622,500; of a reduction in the annual earnings limit for determining maximum allowable pension contributions for pension purposes from €115,000 to €75,000 per annum; and a reduction in the maximum tax-free lump sum payment allowable at retirement to €122,500. [41397/12]

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Eligibility

John Lyons

155. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the eligibility criteria for the vocational training opportunity scheme; if vacant course placements will be extended to those seeking to return to the workforce through education following a long break from employment; and if he will give due consideration to an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 [41380/12]

Teaching Qualifications

John Lyons

178. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the payment of allowance to teachers for masters level qualifications, in particular with relation to teachers who took up further education at their own personal expense, and who would have had a legitimate expectation to receive their increases when they began their studies prior to the abolition of degree allowance in December 2011; and if he will review a specific case in respect of a person (details supplied) [41833/12]

Public Sector Pensions Expenditure

John Lyons

205. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the number of former public servants recruited before the sixth of April 1995 who are currently receiving a public sector pension; if he will provide an age profile of those public servants; if he will provide, in a tabular form, the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following payment parameters; between €0 to €2,000; €2,001 to €3,000; €3,001 to €4,000; €4,001 to €5,000; €5,001 to €6,000; €6,001 to €7,000; €7,001 to €8,000; €8,001 to €9,000; €9,001 to €10,000; €10,001 to €11,000; €11,001 to €12,000; €12,001 to €13,000; €13,001 to €14,000; €14,001 to €15,000; €15,001 to €16,000; €16,001 to €17,000; €17,001 to €18,000; €18,001 to €19,000; €19,001 to €20,000; and more than €20,000. [41389/12]

Public Sector Pensions Expenditure

John Lyons

215. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the number of former public servants recruited before the sixth of April 1995 who are currently receiving a public sector pension including both pensions funded by the Exchequer and through the Local Government Fund; if he will provide an age profile of those public servants; if he will provide, in a tabular form, the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following payment parameters; between €0 to €2,000; €2,001 to €3,000; €3,001 to €4,000; €4,001 to €5,000; €5,001 to €6,000; €6,001 to €7,000; €7,001 to €8,000; €8,001 to €9,000; €9,001 to €10,000; €10,001 to €11,000; €11,001 to €12,000; €12,001 to €13,000; €13,001 to €14,000; €14,001 to €15,000; €15,001 to €16,000; €16,001 to €17,000; €17,001 to €18,000; €18,001 to €19,000; €19,001 to €20,000; and more than €20,000. [41381/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Applications

John Lyons

285. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an up-to-date position on an application for rent supplement in respect of a person (details supplied). [41507/12]

Referendum Expenditure

John Lyons

359. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if in the interest of fairness he will work with his ministerial colleagues to prioritise the appointment of those on the live register to posts in voting and count centres for the upcoming referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41949/12]

Referendum Expenditure

John Lyons

387. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if in the interest of fairness he will ensure that appointments for posts in voting and count centres for the upcoming referendum will be prioritised for those on the live register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41947/12]

Referendum Expenditure

John Lyons

388. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will detail the number of temporary posts in voting and count centres which will be created for the upcoming referendum; the hourly daily pay for each post; the means by which these posts will be advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41948/12]

Tax Code

John Lyons

96. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance his plans to review the taxation of home heating oil in view of the difficulties consumers are experiencing with increasing costs. [40141/12]

International Agreements

John Lyons

64. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation with regard to the International Labour Organisation convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers adopted last year in Geneva, if he will consider ensuring that he ratifies said convention in relation to domestic workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39836/12]

National Internship Scheme Data

John Lyons

121. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that a person (details supplied) received all the payments they were entitled to under the JobBridge initiative. [39929/12]

Black Economy Issues

John Lyons

53. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail his efforts to tackle the problem of the black economy. [39508/12]

Black Economy Issues

John Lyons

54. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail his efforts to tackle the problem of the black economy; and the estimated loss to the Exchequer of revenue as a result of the black economy. [39380/12]

Bioenergy Ireland

John Lyons

146. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the establishment of BioEnergy Ireland; and its plans for an annual 14,700 hectare afforestation programme. [39377/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

John Lyons

440. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of secondary education in respect of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11. [38582/12]

Pension Provisions

John Lyons

491. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if pensions payable to Ministers and sitting public representatives in the Houses of the Oireachtas are co-ordinated or integrated with the social welfare pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38409/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

John Lyons

798. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the refund of rent supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [38583/12]

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Issues

John Lyons

1232. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 460 of 26 June 2012 if he is now in a position to furnish a detailed reply to this question. [38410/12]

Public Sector Reform Review

John Lyons

1698. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a targeted redundancy programme in the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38089/12]

Vehicle Clamping

John Lyons

1932. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on proposed legislation to regulate the vehicle clamping industry; the date on which this legislation will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39051/12]

Mortgage Interest Rates

John Lyons

103 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if he will raise with the EBS the need to pass on the recent interest rate cuts to EBS mortgage policy holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36334/12]

Professional Qualifications

John Lyons

90 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the target to train a further 800 computer software professionals to NFQ Level 8, if he will consider the expansion of cost effective ways of training computer software professionals that meet industry needs in a shorter period of time than it takes to achieve a level 8 qualification (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35706/12]

Languages Programme

John Lyons

98 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the Higher Education Authority accredited courses that are currently assessed using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; his plans to align all third level foreign language courses with the CEFRL; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35695/12]

School Curriculum

John Lyons

99 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail for the past ten years the percentage of leaving certificate students who took one foreign language and those who took two foreign languages, including, if possible, which level they took; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35697/12]

Overseas Study Placements

John Lyons

100 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered ways to increase the number of Irish student study placements in the BRIC countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35698/12]

Overseas Study Placements

John Lyons

101 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider setting national targets for Irish work and study placements in European countries to aid development of language skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35699/12]

School Curriculum

John Lyons

102 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to build up the development of soft skills and competences within second and third level education and training courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35700/12]

Languages Programme

John Lyons

103 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve the supply of domestic foreign language capability to act as a boost to enterprise activity and export potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35701/12]

Languages Programme

John Lyons

104 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to develop a national foreign language education policy with a five to ten year vision to provide an integrated and coherent approach to foreign language teaching in all learning contexts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35702/12]

Languages Programme

John Lyons

105 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to scale up the supply of foreign language skills being taught at third level, in particular for emerging market languages; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35703/12]

Public Procurement

John Lyons

118 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the proposed reforms of public procurement to support Irish firms and to allow greater access by Irish small and medium enterprises to public contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35704/12]

Public Procurement

John Lyons

119 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to issue social procurement provisions and guidelines to Irish public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35705/12]

Languages Programme

John Lyons

136 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will consider working closely with the small and medium enterprise sector to highlight the value of foreign language capability in developing export growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35696/12]

Asylum Support Services

John Lyons

260 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 393 of 10 July 2012, the education and training that will be provided in Sligo to a person (details supplied), in view of the fact that they will have to forgo a place in Dublin and if transferring a person in these circumstances is proportional and necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35714/12]

Social Insurance

John Lyons

270 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 347 of 3 July 2012, with regard to the four year time limit governing the refund of PRSI contributions, the reason, in this instance, no similar time limit was imposed vis-à-vis the amount of illness benefit claimed by this person since 2001; if she will outline the way such an error occurred over a very extensive period of time; and if she will reconsider the decision to rescind this person's entitlement to class A entitlements.
[34543/12]

Waste Management

John Lyons

433 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration is being given to establishing a new independent regulatory authority for the waste management sector which would provide a greater transparency in the sector and which would have a remit to decide on the charging structure for waste services.
[34364/12]

Drug Courts

John Lyons

599 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update in relation to the review of the drugs treatment courts; when the review will become available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35197/12]

Inter-Country Adoptions

John Lyons

700 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on the position regarding a bilateral agreement to facilitate inter-country adoptions between Ireland and Russia.
[34534/12]

Medicinal Products

John Lyons

722 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if patients will be allowed to continue to receive non-generic drugs under the general medical scheme in cases where they have presented with side effects to the generic alternative.
[34354/12]

Health Services

John Lyons

729 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update in relation to funding for a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34374/12]

Youth Enterprise Initiatives

John Lyons

204 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has considered any youth specific enterprise initiatives to encourage entrepreneurial activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33586/12]

Youth Unemployment

John Lyons

205 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has considered using the European Progress Microfinance Fund as a source of funding for youth unemployment initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33587/12]

Carer’s Allowance

John Lyons

231 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection when an application for carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 will be assessed; and if she will expedite a decision on same.
[33189/12]

Carer’s Allowance

John Lyons

254 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for a carer’s allowance in respect of a person (details supplied).
[33429/12]

Asylum Support Services

John Lyons

393 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review the decision of the Refugee Integration Agency to send a person (details supplied) to County Sligo in circumstances in which they have been accepted to a third level course in a Dublin college and they have no connections in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33681/12]

Croke Park Agreement

John Lyons

281 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expected level of savings through adjustments from the Croke Park agreements in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31767/12]

Public Sector Pay

John Lyons

282 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of increments in 2013, 2014 and 2015 for people in the public sector who are currently in the following earning bands salary plus allowances/bonus, less than €20,000; in increments of €5,000 from €20,000 to €100,000; €100,000-€125,000; €125,000-€150,000-€200,000; greater than €200,000; if he will further provide separate tables to be provided for office holders, Deputies, judges, civil servants, public servants, those in the wider public sector including commercial semi-State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31768/12]

PRSI Contributions

John Lyons

347 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a refund in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 in relation to the overpayment of PRSI contributions.
[31904/12]

Household Charge

John Lyons

429 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the introduction of a national bin waiver scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31646/12]