Parliamentary questions

National Monuments

Maureen O'Sullivan

381. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he withdrew a protection order for the area around the prehistoric site at Bremore, Gormanstown, County Meath in relation to the area of SPA No. 4158; if this was done in response to an appeal; and if so, who were the unidentified individuals and or groups that requested such a withdrawal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42729/12]

Magdalen Laundries Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

447. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason only ten Magdalene Laundries will be included in the final report of inter-departmental committee and will not include the Magdalene Laundry (details supplied); the reasons for some Magdalene Laundries and or religious institutions designed for the same purposes as those listed will not be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42725/12]

Adoption Records Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

548. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the Children's Referendum and the fact that there are 50,000 adopted persons here who do not have an automatic right to their birth certificate, their medical information or history, or the right to trace information about their identity, if she will consider introducing legislation to provide for the basic legal rights of adopted persons before they are legally adopted and align them with the rights allocated to other citizens of the State; if the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill will include the adopted child's right to their name, the right to know their parents, the right of the child to preserve their identity including nationality, name and family relations as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42718/12]

Water Fluoridation

Maureen O'Sullivan

559. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if an in-depth study has been carried out on the effects of fluoride in water on children and vulnerable persons; if not, the international study that is used in determining if it is safe for children and young persons to drink fluoridated water here; if his attention has been drawn to the European Commission, SCHER, report concluded last year that there was evidence to show that fluoride may cause osteosarcoma, an often fatal bone cancer in children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42724/12]

Mental Health Services Report

Maureen O'Sullivan

686. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress of the implementation of A Vision for Change since 2011; if his Department's spending ratio between residential care and community care changed since he came into office in order to favour community care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43344/12]

Prescriptions Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

687. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide statistics on the frequency of the prescription of the psychotropic drugs Ritalin and Prozac to persons under the age of 18 years; the criteria used to determine and prescribe these drugs to children and teenagers; the extent of the prescribing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43346/12]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

3. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, in view of the report from the Ranger on the coursing meeting at Kilflynn, County Kerry, during last season stating that the very wet weather made it difficult for the hares to run and resulted in twelve hares being caught, he will make it a condition of the licence that no coursing should take place in wet weather when ground conditions are heavy and soggy thus making it difficult, if not impossible, for the hares to run from the greyhounds and that the Ranger will have the power to ensure that coursing will not take place in those conditions. [42239/12]

Registration of Title

Maureen O'Sullivan

413. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if, notwithstanding the work of the Property Registration Authority of Ireland, of the Valuation Office and of the local authorities which must determine whether real property is residential or commercial; and if it is non-residential, whether it is rateable or exempt by virtue of the tax exempt status of the occupant, is it nevertheless possible for legal title to real property in Ireland to be held anonymously for example on foot of a Deed of Trust, the existence of which is not in the public domain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41372/12]

Noxious Weeds

Maureen O'Sullivan

457. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the recent upsurge in the prevalence of noxious weeds, including Ragwort and Japanese Knotweed inside the Royal Canal proposed Natural Heritage Area, especially along the recently re-lined sixth level; if he has had any contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and or with the Dublin City Manager with a view to addressing the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41371/12]

State Bodies Mergers

Maureen O'Sullivan

90. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for the transfer of the Forensic Science Laboratory from the Department of Justice and Equality to his Department; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this will hinder the work done by the Forensic Science Laboratory for the judicial system through the weakening of links between these agencies and the physical distance from the Criminal Courts, the Garda Technical Bureau and the Director of Public Prosecutions; if there is a cost factor in the transfer of the Forensic Science laboratory to another Department; if its independence could be jeopardised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39383/12]

Private Rented Accommodation Provision

Maureen O'Sullivan

39. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the legal obligations for landlords in Dublin City to maintain a high standard quality of their rental accommodation, to prevent overcrowding in their properties, to prevent the dereliction of their rented accommodation internally and externally, to replace and maintain appliances in their properties for their tenants and to manage waste and dumping; the legal avenues that exist for communities and residents in Dublin Central that are having difficulties with landlords who are not addressing these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39327/12]

International Summits

Maureen O'Sullivan

183. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason the Rio Summit failed to consider private sector initiatives as part of environmental solutions, and if private sector initiatives will be considered and promoted as part of next year's Irish EU Presidency; the reason it was a feature of Rio+20 that EU countries were required to co-ordinate their preparations only through the Ministries of the Environment and not alongside foreign Ministries; his views that foreign Ministries would have better linked the MDGs, Sustainable Development Goals and developing countries' environmental issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39281/12]

Summer Works Scheme Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

467. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the situation with a school (details supplied) in Dublin 1 which was allocated funding by his Department as part of the summer works building scheme in respect of special needs access for children with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39280/12]

Departmental Staff Data

Maureen O'Sullivan

655. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection in respect of a person (details supplied), if she regards this person as having been permanent staff who took up a temporary position to fill critical vacancies at the time and as part of the Croke Park agreement and in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circular 8/2010, if the person is entitled to a placement within a 45 km radius of their address now that their post has been deemed surplus and placed on the resource panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37222/12]

Magdalen Laundries Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

1296. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reasons for the delay in the publication of the final report of the interdepartmental committee investigating State involvement in the Magdalen laundries; the reason he will not proceed with urgency to establish restorative justice to those who suffered in Magdalen laundries and other institutions 22 months after the IHRC recommendation and 15 months after the United Nations Committee Against Torture recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39303/12]

Children in Care

Maureen O'Sullivan

1483. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will list the residential child care centres in Dublin North East; the number of young persons in each of these centres; the budget allocation for each; and the proportion for staff salaries. [38922/12]

Children in Care

Maureen O'Sullivan

1484. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reasons the Health Service Executive made the decision to close a children's residential unit in Dublin Central (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the valuable service this unit has provided for children and families in the area; if the staff will be redeployed in the north inner city community as other community based projects are understaffed due to recent retirements; if an adequate timeframe will be granted to long-staying children of the residential unit to facilitate a fair transition process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38924/12]

Cancer Screening Programmes

Maureen O'Sullivan

1607. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that multi-annual, long-term funding is in place in order that the bowel cancer screening programme will be delivered to all who need it by the end of 2012; if he will ensure that the introduction of screening does not jeopardise endoscopy services for symptomatic patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37147/12]

Taxi Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

1882. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the reason for the delay in issuing taxi ID to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 when all background checks and paperwork with the Garda have been successful; the reason for the delay nationwide in issuing taxi ID to taxi drivers; his views on whether these delays may cause drivers to be out of work for a number of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37237/12]

Building Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

488 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that legislation in countries such as France and the Netherlands provided automatic registration to self-taught architects through acquired rights; his views on whether self-taught architects from Ireland are discriminated on in this instance; and his plans to remedy this problem
[36178/12]

Diplomatic Representation

Maureen O'Sullivan

54 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in the case of persons (details supplied) if the Irish State is responsible and does its duty include verification of State documents made in Ireland but which are claimed as falsified abroad by a judicial court or authority; if he will be in a position to be able to verify genuine Irish documents on behalf of the men involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35694/12]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

57 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 22 May 2012, the outcome of his raising the human rights issues in Western Sahara with the Moroccan Government during the Universal Periodic Review of Morocco which took place at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in May; the extent of his dialogue with both Morocco and France in trying to support the principle of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35851/12]

Northern Ireland Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

58 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 on 22 May, if he has had any further contact with officials in Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State, the Minister for Justice and the prison authorities, in relation to the human rights issues of prisoners being held in prison in Northern Ireland, particularly Maghaberry Prison and the case of the prisoner who had been moved to Hydebank Prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35852/12]

Merger of Cultural Institutions

Maureen O'Sullivan

205 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will publish the cost benefit analysis of either the merger of any of the national cultural institutions, their absorption into his Department or any reorganisation of their functions; if he has examined the costs and efficiency of his Department and examined transferring any of the remit or functions of his Department to any of the institutions; if he will make available a copy of any policy paper he has published as a basis for public consultation and the details of the public consultation he has undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35858/12]

Sustainable Development Strategy

Maureen O'Sullivan

223 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether the outcome document adopted by world leaders at the summit in Rio, Brazil, is addressing the fact that the levels of consumption exceed the planet’s physical capacity and are being used disproportionately in developed and developing worlds; and the way next year’s Irish EU presidency with contribute to the matter of sustainable development.
[35552/12]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

294 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the accounts that greyhounds tested positive for prohibited substances at two live hare coursing events recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35551/12]

Health Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

347 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange that the contact person in the Health Service Executive advocacy unit (details supplied) in Dublin 9 make available a copy of her report which she has been trying to retrieve since 15 May 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35658/12]

Sporting Organisations

Maureen O'Sullivan

391 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Swim Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland are private organisations, the reason they receive State funds; if they are then accountable to him for the use of the funds; the annual salaries of the CEOs and officials in Swim Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35853/12]

Proposed Legislation

Maureen O'Sullivan

190 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider amending legislation with regard to lottery winners to allow that any prize in excess of €100,000 will be paid in the form of 90% cash with the remaining 10% being paid to the prizewinner’s designated charity, an organisation in good standing with the Revenue Commissioners and in possession of certificates of charitable exemption and authorisation as an eligible charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35349/12]

Homelessness Strategy

Maureen O'Sullivan

468 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address youth homelessness in view of the fact that many young persons once they turn 18 years find their income is too low for them to move into private accommodation and away from emergency accommodation, to live in self sustainable conditions which support their determination to gain income and job security; his further plans to help young persons move away from homelessness and emergency accommodation towards gaining housing security and job security; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34818/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Maureen O'Sullivan

489 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to recently published research on participation, expenditure and regressivity in the Irish lottery; if he will take these findings on board on developing systems for the disbursement from the Dormant Accounts Fund, now that the Dormant Accounts Board has been abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35209/12]

Dormant Accounts Fund

Maureen O'Sullivan

490 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to recently published research on participation, expenditure and regressivity in the Irish lottery; if he will take this example of best practice on board in developing systems for the disbursement from the Dormant Accounts Fund, now that the Dormant Accounts Board has been abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35210/12]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

667 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which the submissions made and sent to his Department at the end of 2011 regarding fur farming will be assessed; when he will comment on the findings of the submissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34817/12]

Community Employment Schemes

Maureen O'Sullivan

137 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the way a training programme (details supplied) where participants are trainees, in recovery from addiction, unlike other community employment schemes whose participants have roles as clerical staff, child care workers, maintenance and so on, will survive a 50% cut to its training grant which is vital for the scheme and its participants; if provisions will be made in order that more flexible arrangements to current funding will be arranged for this vital training service; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[34147/12]

Consular Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

76 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ontact the Greek authorities in relation to the request for an urgent appeal in respect of persons (details supplied) where documents proving the absence of one of the men from Crete at the time of the offences are continually being ignored; and if he will do his utmost to ensure the appeal is conducted in a manner that is within EU law.
[33169/12]

Local Authority Housing

Maureen O'Sullivan

330 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken in relation to the pyrite issue in local authority housing in Dublin; if he has made, or is making, funding available to the local authority to address and redress this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33431/12]

Citizenship Applications

Maureen O'Sullivan

355 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons, since 2005, that have been naturalised every year and to date in 2012; and if he will give an indication of the top ten nationalities that have been naturalised since 2005.
[33187/12]

Human Rights Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

49 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the Human Rights Watch detailed investigation of the forced movement of rural populations from pastoral communities by the Ethiopian Government to make way for state-run sugar plantations and other infrastructure developments without a process of consultation or compensation for indigenous and local populations; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this process includes arbitrary arrests, detentions and beatings as part of forced removal of persons from traditional lands including the Omo valley which was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1980; if he will highlight the need for more accountability and transparency in large scale infrastructure projects undergoing in Africa to prevent such an occurrence arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32859/12]

Domiciliary Care Allowance

Maureen O'Sullivan

88 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will include a member of a group (details supplied) as one of the three NGO representatives reserved for the review of the domiciliary care allowance system as they are representatives of multiple disabilities and whose members are also members of a range of other groups; her views on whether a member of this group as part of the review of the DCA system will ensure that input from parents on the front line of children with disabilities will be represented and that this will contribute to the establishment of a fair and workable system to overcome the review process.
[32860/12]

National Asset Management Agency

Maureen O'Sullivan

195 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain the justification for the National Asset Management Agency stating that businesses which possess other viable businesses in a group are considered eligible to pay requested increases in rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32008/12]

National Asset Management Agency

Maureen O'Sullivan

196 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a business with a licence that may stipulate that the proprietors can be asked to leave within one month’s notice will find itself in financial difficulty in view of the fact that it must pay three months rent up front to the National Assets Management Agency in advance even though it does not have security of tenure; his views on whether, alongside three months rent up front, a request of a 100% increase in rent on that business can place it in jeopardy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32009/12]

Waste Disposal

Maureen O'Sullivan

448 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his position on the proposed increase in bin charges by a waste collection company (details supplied) in the Dublin City area; his views on whether his Department’s increase in the landfill levy from €50 to €65 per tonne is passing on the burden of price increases to the customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31894/12]

Water Fluoridation

Maureen O'Sullivan

579 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in accordance with maintaining impartiality in the advice provided by members of the expert body on fluoride and health, the reason the largest representation on the body is from the dental profession with five representatives as members of the Dental Health Foundation Ireland; the reason the body includes only one environmental health officer, one food scientist and one biochemist; the way a disproportionate number of members from only one profession can ensure impartiality in its advice with only three other independent specialists on the expert body; the reason other specialists including medical doctors, immunologists, biologists, ecologists or other specialists are not included in this expert body; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32057/12]

Services for People with Disabilities

Maureen O'Sullivan

627 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health in view of the Health Service Executive cut backs in 2012 amounting to 5.5% and the withdrawal of demographic funding for school leavers and emergency cases for those with intellectual disabilities, when the commitment made (details supplied) that appropriate services provisions will be provided for school-leavers from existing capacity will be put in place; the appropriate services that this specifically entails; if this will include mental health and physical needs provisions; the mental health and physical needs provisions that will be provided; if now adult children will receive these provisions once school ends at the end of the month; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32064/12]

Medicinal Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

604 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will publish all of the Irish Medicines Board's advice to him regarding the replacement non-animal cell-based test for botulinum neurotoxins; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31895/12]

Medicinal Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

605 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if and when Allergan’s authorities will carry out animal-based LD50 assays for testing botulinum neurotoxins were amended and withdrawn following confirmation that this represented an alternative to the LD50 assays; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31896/12]

Medicinal Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

606 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the proportion of animal-based LD50 assays for testing of botulinum neurotoxin in Ireland that have ceased as a result of Allergan’s switch to a non-animal replacement; and if there were any withdrawal of authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31897/12]

Medicinal Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

607 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has explored the possibility of Allergan making their non-animal botulinum neurotoxin test available to companies who continue to perform the animal-based test in Ireland, through licensing of the technology, for example; and the response he has received from other companies still carrying out animal botulinum neurotoxin LD50 tests to his Department’s encouragement to develop similar models; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31898/12]