Parliamentary questions

Alcohol Sales Legislation

John Lyons

408. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to a series of measures to reduce the practice of the below-cost selling of alcohol; if restrictions on the advertising of alcohol offers and the introduction of structural separation for alcohol purchase are being considered as part of such a response to this practice. [43175/14]

Illness Benefit Payments

John Lyons

337. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) is being requested to pay back tax when cheques for sick leave were not cashed by the person; if he will clarify with the Revenue Commissioners that these cheques during a period of sick leave were not cashed; and if the person's tax liability could be rectified as a result. [41976/14]

Employment Rights

John Lyons

382. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the data available to him regarding the extent of zero hour contracts here; if his Department plans to carry out a study on the prevalence of these zero hour contracts in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41179/14]

Ports Policy

John Lyons

1129. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Drogheda Port Company operates under his remit or that of another State body; if this company is answerable to its board of directors; and if expenditure incurred as part of a recent project (details supplied) is justified under the various Harbour Acts to which the company is subject. [42034/14]

Central Bank of Ireland

John Lyons

216. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if his Department will be making a submission to the Central Bank of Ireland regarding its proposed mortgage rules to be introduced next year; and if he has a response to situations where consumers have already been approved mortgages under existing rules but will not draw down these loans until next year. [40068/14]

Schools Building Contractors

John Lyons

550. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review compliance mechanisms at all school and other educational building sites to ensure workers are paid the proper rate for jobs and in keeping with legislation and EU directives. [40475/14]

Insurance Coverage

John Lyons

44. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to householders in some types of housing, such as maisonettes, being denied insurance cover for their homes; if there are any measures under his remit to assist these householders; and if policy changes could assist those affected by this situation. [38669/14]

Water Quality

John Lyons

239. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water will publish a medium to long-term plan to improve water quality, capacity and infrastructure around the country; and if a timeframe will be given for such improvements. [38608/14]

Low Pay Commission Establishment

John Lyons

216. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the status of the low pay commission; when it will be officially established and operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35837/14]

Trade Agreements

John Lyons

422. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide the timeframe for ratification of the EU-Colombia free trade agreement; and if Dáil Éireann will be given an opportunity to debate the implications of such an agreement as per the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. [34445/14]

Civil Partnership Legislation

John Lyons

626. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if proposals have been finalised for existing and future civil partnerships as part of same-sex marriage legislation and in the event the constitutional amendment is passed in the 2015 referendum. [33800/14]

Treatment Abroad Scheme

John Lyons

986. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if there is a list of agreed treatments available to Irish citizens as part of the treatment abroad scheme; if novel therapies and new cancer drugs trials, particularly in the National Health Service, are included as part of this scheme; and his plans to extend the scheme in the future [33801/14]

Treatment Abroad Scheme

John Lyons

987. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive's treatment abroad scheme provides funding to citizens here to take part on new cancer drug trials in other jurisdictions; if the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is currently covered as part of the treatment abroad scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33802/14]

National Drugs Strategy Implementation

John Lyons

988. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate which Minister or Minister of State has responsibility for the national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33803/14]

Inland Waterways Maintenance

John Lyons

1748. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht ,further to Parliamentary Question No. 412 of 30 April 2014, if she will provide an update on the reopening of the Royal Canal towpath from Jones Road to Drumcondra Road which has been closed for nearly 12 months due to flooding damage; if the timeline for works to be completed by Waterways Ireland is still prior to early autumn 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32986/14]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland Remit

John Lyons

73. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills if independently managed community education providers will be considered for a fee waiver during the re-engagement process with Quality and Qualifications Ireland; if this takes account of the difficulty the fee would cause community education providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31713/14]

Civil Partnership Legislation

John Lyons

335. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the current problems facing civil partners of former civil servants, who retired previous to the enactment of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, in receiving pension benefits as a result of Sections 81E (5) and (6) of the Pensions Act 1990 as amended by the Social Welfare (Misc. Provisions) Act 2004, which provides for a maximum of 12 months to seek redress for perceived unfair pension decisions; if he will amend the legislation to be in line with the UK's provision on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30991/14]

Road Projects Expenditure

John Lyons

723. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if local authorities can recoup the costs of repairs to footpaths and roads under their remit if they are left in a poor state following works by semi-State bodies or private companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31085/14]

Property Tax Exemptions

John Lyons

160. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance his views on extending local property tax exemptions to include households where high level care is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29712/14]

Mortgage Protection Policies

John Lyons

171. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Finance if, under legislation, financial institutions such as banks can waive the requirement for a customer to take out mortgage protection insurance in the event of the customer being turned down by three different insurance companies; the process a financial institution must follow if a consumer requests a waiver to mortgage protection insurance in this instance; and if there is an independent complaints procedure in the case of this waiver being denied. [29242/14]