Parliamentary questions

Third Level Participation

Ruth Coppinger

238. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of school leavers progressing to third level; and if she will distinguish between institutes of technology, universities and other colleges. [36346/14]

Third Level Participation

Ruth Coppinger

239. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of school leavers progressing to third level, broken down into areas of Dublin. [36347/14]

Education and Training Boards Administration

Ruth Coppinger

240. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the minutes from the meetings of the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board over the past year. [36348/14]

Education and Training Boards Administration

Ruth Coppinger

241. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the most recent annual service plan and five-year strategy statement for the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. [36349/14]

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Numbers

Ruth Coppinger

247. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the completion and progression figures for individual VTOS centres. [36815/14]

Human Rights Committees

Ruth Coppinger

30. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention had been drawn to the case of the migrant rape victim known as Miss Y prior to addressing the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva in July. [35410/14]

Asylum Support Services

Ruth Coppinger

31. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to detail the number of asylum-seekers that have travelled outside the State for the purposes of termination of pregnancy in the years 2011 to 2013, inclusive, and to date in 2014; the process that is in place for such women to avail of the necessary visas and travel documentation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35408/14]

Employment Data

Ruth Coppinger

34. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach the number of workers that work on temporary or part-time contracts of employment in the years 2007-13, inclusive. [32433/14]

Animal Diseases

Ruth Coppinger

238. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures taken by his Department to ensure that veterinary physicians certifying test certificates for tuberculosis in cattle do not alter a certificate without due cause; the number of alterations of such certificates that were identified by the Department in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [35467/14]

Animal Identification Schemes

Ruth Coppinger

239. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures taken by his Department to ensure that temporary identity tags on cattle are correctly recorded and the traceability of these animals is fully supervised; and the number of cases that have been identified in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 in breaches of the regulations. [35468/14]

Animal Diseases

Ruth Coppinger

240. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to allegations of alteration of tuberculosis test certificates by a veterinary inspector (details supplied); and his views on such practices being widespread. [35469/14]

Water Charges Introduction

Ruth Coppinger

475. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that the charging for water by Irish Water will impact on building and home improvement costs; and if his Department has examined the possible impact on buildings insurance should water charges increase cost of rebuilding. [35466/14]

Water Charges Exemptions

Ruth Coppinger

520. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will instruct Irish Water to make exemptions or allowances or both for persons with disabilities and other medical conditions, such as dementia and other infirmities. [35851/14]

Irish Language

Ruth Coppinger

554. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will take the necessary steps at the Council of the European Union this year so that the derogation on the status of the Irish language is ended in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35501/14]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Ruth Coppinger

36. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans concerning the construction of social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34329/14]

Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure

Ruth Coppinger

48. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the aggregate annual costs and cost per household from 2008 to 2013 to the Exchequer of the various rent allowance and rent supplement schemes. [33043/14]

Exceptional Needs Payments

Ruth Coppinger

130. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of successful applications for exceptional needs payments in the Dublin 15 and 24 areas in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and the amount that was paid in these years and these areas. [34216/14]

Water Charges Introduction

Ruth Coppinger

172. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance if the forthcoming water charges will be chargeable to VAT, and if so at what rate, or will they be zero rated, or exempted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33011/14]

Tax Relief Costs

Ruth Coppinger

189. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the amount income tax relief on pensions has cost the Exchequer in 2012 and 2013; and the percentage that benefited those on the higher and lower rates of income tax respectively. [33040/14]

Tax Relief Costs

Ruth Coppinger

190. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the cost of mortgage interest relief to the Exchequer in 2012 and 2013; the amount of that total benefited those paying the higher and lower rates of income tax; and the average annual cost of mortgage interest relief per household and per income tax payer. [33041/14]

NAMA Portfolio

Ruth Coppinger

191. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the number of complete and incomplete houses and apartments in the National Asset Management Agency’s portfolio; the amount of each that have been made available for social housing; if he will provide a breakdown of the number of these that have been and are being made available directly to local authorities, or to approved housing bodies; and if he will provide a breakdown of the approved housing bodies concerned. [33042/14]

Promissory Notes

Ruth Coppinger

192. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance his anticipated repayment schedule for the debt formerly in the form of promissory notes; the anticipated cost in interest payments and the total repayment cost as currently projected; and the preferences of the European Central Bank in this regard. [33044/14]

VAT Exemptions

Ruth Coppinger

232. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to reduce the VAT rate on defibrillators as a measure to increase their availability to community and sporting organisations. [33526/14]

Banking Sector

Ruth Coppinger

248. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to protect from eviction the homeowners living in the homes that are part of Ulster Bank's sale of non-performing home loans, Project Aran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33987/14]

Credit Availability

Ruth Coppinger

256. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to provide for a low cost, low amount social lending facility operated on a non-profit basis to counter the growth of moneylenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34215/14]

Export Controls

Ruth Coppinger

394. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of dual-use licences and military-use licences issued for trade with Israel in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; if he will provide descriptions of the products that were licensed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33781/14]

Arms Trade

Ruth Coppinger

528. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Defence the amount the Defence Forces have spent on purchasing arms and equipment from Israeli companies in the past 15 years; if he will provide a breakdown of the figures according to year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33030/14]

Passport Applications

Ruth Coppinger

595. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the Ombudsman's investigative report on passports for Irish-born children of non-EEA-EU-Swiss citizens; and the steps her Department has taken and will take following its publication. [33569/14]

Passport Applications

Ruth Coppinger

596. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of children granted citizenship at her discretion due to issues related to a shortfall in reckonable residency of their non-EEA-EU-Swiss parents in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and to date in 2014; and following the Ombudsman's investigative report on the matter of passports for Irish-born citizens of non-EEA-EU-Swiss parents, if she will re-examine any cases where citizenship was not granted and exercise her discretion on these cases. [33572/14]

Passport Applications

Ruth Coppinger

597. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the powers of the Ombudsman to extend over her Department's naturalisation and immigration related functions. [33573/14]

Ruth Coppinger

598. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the presence of armed gardaí at Mount Trenchard direct provision centre in County Limerick and the transfer of two spokespersons for the residents immediately after their talks with the management of the centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33574/14]

Direct Provision Data

Ruth Coppinger

599. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of transfers that have taken place between direct provision centres in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and the reasons for the transfers. [33575/14]

Ruth Coppinger

600. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will immediately take steps to introduce an independent complaints mechanism for asylum seekers in direct provision hostels. [33576/14]

Visa Applications

Ruth Coppinger

645. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will take the persecution of minority groups into consideration when issuing visas to those coming from Iraq and Syria. [33992/14]

Ruth Coppinger

652. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the report, "What's food got to do with it: food experiences of asylum seekers in direct provision", published by Nasc; and the steps she will take to introduce self-catering and-or access to cooking facilities for those in direct provision accommodation. [34094/14]

Ruth Coppinger

653. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will end the practice of curfews in direct provision accommodation; and her views on whether such a practice is contrary to the dignity and autonomy of residents. [34095/14]

Deportation Orders Data

Ruth Coppinger

680. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons under 18 years of age who have been issued with deportation orders in the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and to date in 2014. [34611/14]

Deportation Orders Data

Ruth Coppinger

681. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons under 18 years of age who were born on the island of Ireland who have been issued with deportation orders in the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [34612/14]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Ruth Coppinger

928. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the availability of defibrillators; and to increase the level of training in how to operate them. [33527/14]

Cosmetic Surgery

Ruth Coppinger

1073. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health his views on the regulation of the advertising of elective ophthalmology procedures, such as laser refractive surgery; and his views regarding any inappropriate sales practices that may exist. [34214/14]

Departmental Records

Ruth Coppinger

1185. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of documents his Department has authenticated, apostilled and legalised in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the amount of money received in fees by his Department for these services in those years. [33384/14]

Human Rights Issues

Ruth Coppinger

1186. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the actions of the Ambassador to the United Nations in relation to the Israeli bombing of Gaza; if he made any representations regarding possible human rights violations and war crimes in that conflict. [33411/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Ruth Coppinger

1190. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps his Department have taken unilaterally and at a European Union and United Nations level to assist persecuted minorities inside Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33522/14]

Passport Services

Ruth Coppinger

1191. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the Ombudsman's investigative report on passports for Irish-born children of non-EEA-EU-Swiss citizen; and the steps his Department have taken and will take following its publication. [33571/14]

Passport Application Refusals

Ruth Coppinger

1192. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications for children of non-EEA-EU-Swiss parents rejected in the years 2007 to date in 2014 as the reckonable residency of their parents was not sufficient. [33577/14]

Foreign Policy

Ruth Coppinger

1197. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the role his Department had in permitting two F16 fighter jets from the United States of America military enter Irish airspace and fly over Croke Park and Dublin city on 30 August 2014; if he will report on the correspondence his Department had with the Embassy of the United States, the Gaelic Athletic Association, other Government Departments and aviation authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33988/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Ruth Coppinger

1198. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the persecution of minority groups in Iraq and Syria; the steps he has taken, and will take to give assistance and support to victims of the conflict in those states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33991/14]

Foreign Conflicts

Ruth Coppinger

1199. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the Israeli plans to expand settlement at Gush Etzion near Bethlehem in the occupied Palestinian territories; the steps he has taken, or will take, to express the view of the Irish Government to the Israeli Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33993/14]

Education Policy

Ruth Coppinger

1269. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the ESRI report "Leaving School in Ireland: a longitudinal study of post-school transitions"; and her position regarding the class divisions evident in the study and implications for Government policy. [33410/14]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Expenditure

Ruth Coppinger

1453. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline the aggregate annual costs and cost per household from 2008 to 2013 to the Exchequer of accommodating households on the housing waiting list in private rental accommodation through the rental accommodation scheme; and the average net annual cost per household to the State for those accommodated in local authority housing over the same period. [33043/14]