Parliamentary questions

Property Valuations

Róisín Shortall

206. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the continuing problems faced by home-owners in fairly valuing their properties for the purposes of the local property tax whereby early registers have based their valuations on the property price register data available at the time but later registers have based their valuations on later updates on the property price register, resulting in persons with virtually identical properties making two different returns and paying different rates under the LPT; his views on whether it is fair that two neighbours with very similar homes pay different LPT amounts purely on the basis of the information that is available to them at the time of their registration; and the way he proposes to address such inequities. [22699/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Peadar Tóibín

207. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the taxpayer of the recent sale of the Quinn Building, Johnstown, Navan, to Meath County Council. [22704/13]

Property Taxation Collection

Clare Daly

208. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the number of registrations for the local property tax on a local authority basis. [22712/13]

Tax Exemptions

Catherine Murphy

209. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all organisations here which are granted charitable tax exemption; if he will list all such organisations which had charitable tax exemption removed in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22716/13]

Departmental Funding

Michael Colreavy

210. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Finance if he has allocated funding from the sale of the mobile spectrum in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20196/13]

Pension Provisions

Tom Hayes

211. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that pension entitlements for former employees of Permanent TSB will not be affected as part of the cost cutting measures aimed at reducing the costs by 10% at the bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22745/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Tom Hayes

212. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of student accommodation that was built under section 50 of the Finance Act 1999. [22749/13]

Mortgage Interest Rates Issues

Peter Mathews

213. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Finance his plans for Allied Irish Bank and other such banks to either pass on the ECB rate cuts to variable rate mortgage holders or refrain from increasing mortgage rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22753/13]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Róisín Shortall

214. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the number of personnel in whole-time equivalent terms in his Department and in bodies under the aegis of his Department in each of the following earnings brackets: less than €20,000, €20,001 to €30,000, €30,001 to €40,000, €40,001 to €50,000, €50,001 to €60,000, €60,001 to €70,000, €70,001 to €80,000, €80,001 to €90,000, €90,001 to €100,000, €100,000 to €125,000, €125,001 to €150,000, €150,001 to €175,000, €175,001 to €200,000, €200,001 to €250,000, €250,001 to €300,000, €300,001 to €350,000, €350,001 to €400,000, €400,001 to €450,000, €450,001 to €500,000, and more than €500,000. [22789/13]

Illicit Trade in Tobacco

Seán Kenny

215. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Finance the steps the Revenue Commissioners are taking to monitor fairs, markets and so on in order to crackdown on the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco products being sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22804/13]

Tax Yield

Alan Farrell

216. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Finance the annual value of income tax paid by employees of multinational companies that have invested here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22818/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Finian McGrath

217. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if there is any exemption on the property tax for persons who bought their homes in 2008 and paid huge stamp duty, and for those whose property has had extensive flooding damage and cannot get their home valued as it cannot be sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22819/13]

Departmental Expenditure

John McGuinness

218. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Finance the individual amount of overtime paid in the case of each political-ministerial appointee for the period 2007 to date in 2013 relative to his office and the office of the Minister of State; if such payments were made to the Secretary General and advisors, and if so, the amounts for the same period. [22875/13]

Property Taxation Administration

Tom Fleming

219. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if he will intervene with the Revenue Commissioners regarding the frustration of some members of the public who are experiencing difficulties communicating with Revenue to pay the local property tax (details supplied); if he will direct the Revenue to review its administrative process for the final three weeks of registering of the property tax, provide additional staff to man the hotline phone number and additional staff to respond to requests for forms for those who did not receive theirs in the post; if he will provide additional appropriate assistance for the many persons who are not computer literate to register online and also appropriate assistance for any person unable to read or write; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22907/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Michael McGrath

220. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details, for each of the covered institutions, the number of rent receivers appointed to date in 2013 in respect of buy to let properties; the number of buy to let properties affected by such appointments; the number of rent receivers expected to be appointed over the remainder of 2013; if he will provide details of the operation of the rent receivers; the impact of the tenants concerned; if he has any policy on the appointment of rent receivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23007/13]

Banking Operations

Finian McGrath

221. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views regarding Bank of Ireland not issuing bankers' drafts of less than €500 in view of the fact that this is an issue with senior citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23043/13]

Property Taxation Application

Tom Fleming

222. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the position regarding houses that were exempt from the household charge in 2012 by county councils as these homes were subject to inspection in many cases by independent engineers on behalf of owners and were verified as being unfit for human habitation or declared not feasible to carry out a complete overhaul to restore them to a standard to live in and these same houses are now subject to registration of the property tax and assessed for category of charge on notification registration form; if he will give clarity regarding this anomaly which is currently a tax on a vast amount of homes that are worthless; and if will he review the cases with a view to applying an exemption as of the previous tax in 2012. [23052/13]

Public Sector Staff Redundancies

Sean Fleming

223. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if persons in the public service who are employed in more than one location are eligible for the enhanced redundancy payment in respect of one of their locations of work while continuing in the education system while working at another location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22168/13]

FÁS Local Training Initiatives Eligibility

Finian McGrath

224. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise on further training skills in respect of a person (details supplied). [22198/13]

FÁS Safe Passes

Sean Fleming

225. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason safe pass tickets for various courses on construction and other sites do not last for up to three or four years as is the case in many other countries in view of the fact that it is putting an undue burden on people who are not in employment to continue to pay to have these updated on a more regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22264/13]

Proposed Legislation

Joe McHugh

226. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills with reference to the draft SOLAS Bill's definition of further education and training, if he will consider broadening the definition to include other systematic and deliberate learning undertaken by adults in a wide variety of settings and contexts, both formal and non-formal, in particular community education; if he will consider specifically naming Independent Community Education as a provider group within the legislation; if there is scope for modification of Section 7(h) and Section 7(h)2 to expressly address the training and upskilling needs of persons within and outside the labour market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22702/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Dara Calleary

227. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider having Down's syndrome listed as a complex, low incidence disorder, in order that all children with Down's syndrome are entitled to educational resource hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22748/13]

School Transport Applications

Michael McCarthy

228. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise on an application for concessionary school transport in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22811/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Finian McGrath

229. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the major collective effect of the cuts to special needs assistants for children with a disability; and if he will reverse these cuts. [22823/13]

Graduate Support Schemes

Seán Kyne

230. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of citizens who have graduated from the ICT skills conversion courses which began from March 2012 and are supported by her Department. [23058/13]

Teaching Council of Ireland

Sean Fleming

231. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason new entrants into the teaching profession have to pay a teacher registration fee of €90 whereas the fee for existing teachers is €65; if this is not placing an unfair burden on new entrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22169/13]

Public Sector Staff Redundancies

Sean Fleming

232. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers who have teaching hours in more than one location are eligible to obtain the enhanced redundancy package in respect of one of their locations while continuing to teach for other hours at a different location and still continue to work in the education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22170/13]

Teacher Redeployment

Sean Fleming

233. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person on a teaching panel in second level education and waiting to be redeployed to an alternative location is being paid the normal salary during these periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22171/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Sean Fleming

234. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school building projects (details supplied) in County Laois; when this is expected to go to construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22180/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Dara Calleary

235. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the need for children with Down's syndrome to be recognised in their entirety and in their own right by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22183/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Sean Fleming

236. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a Student Universal Support Ireland grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22186/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Dara Calleary

238. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason behind the refusal of a higher education grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason the person must prove independence from the point of entry into higher education in 2005 and not from re-entering at a higher level in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22200/13]

Irish Language Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

239. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the office, and employees of the Council for Gaeltacht Education, and Irish Medium Education will not be located in the offices of the NCCA, but that the offices of COGG will be a satellite, located in a separate building, as it is internationally recognised that a dominant language, will impact upon minor languages, and because there will be far more people working for the NCCA which will mean that there be a threat to Irish as the working language of COGG; if he will reconsider this decision as to whether it would be preferable to reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22217/13]

Irish Language Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

240. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline, specifically, which administrative services will the NCCA be able to provide to COGG, in Irish, to a standard equal to that in English; if he had examined whether these services would be available in Irish prior to the decision being made to merge COGG with the NCCA; if he will reconsider this decision as to whether it would be preferable to reverse the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22218/13]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Dominic Hannigan

241. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects work to begin on a school (details supplied) in County Meath as announced in bundle 5 of the public private partnership school building process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22234/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Michael Healy-Rae

242. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a special needs assistant in respect of a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22239/13]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Patrick O'Donovan

243. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22243/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Heather Humphreys

244. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22246/13]

School Transport Eligibility

James Bannon

245. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in responding to representations in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford submitted in August, 2012, with regard to school transport for children attending various schools, in view of the fact that replies only came to hand in late April, 2013, when the school year is almost over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22256/13]

School Transport Eligibility

James Bannon

246. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in responding to representations submitted in August, 2012, regarding school transport in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford for children attending various schools, in view of the fact that replies only came to hand in late April, 2013, when the school year is almost over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22257/13]

Teacher Redeployment

David Stanton

247. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills with reference to the supplementary panels for primary school teachers being assembled, the conditions required in order for a person to be considered on any such panel; if the income conditions include payment for supervision in every case; if he is satisfied that a full year earnings are taken into account in every case being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22262/13]

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Charlie McConalogue

248. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a Gaelscoil (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22299/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Clare Daly

249. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the special needs assistant or other assistance available to children of school going age, preschool, who are profoundly deaf; the grants or special assistance available to mainstream schools that have to accommodate profoundly deaf children. [22304/13]

University Libraries

Michael Healy-Rae

250. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the use of university libraries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22323/13]

School Staffing

Derek Nolan

251. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost to his Department from substitutes and lost hours as a result of the Irish Primary Principals Network Conference, which takes place during the school term time (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22326/13]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Patrick O'Donovan

252. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a new primary school will be provided in County Westmeath (details supplied); if he will provide the up to date report on this proposal; the stages that have yet to be completed; the indicative time frame for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22330/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Denis Naughten

253. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve funding for an autism unit (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22352/13]

Proposed Legislation

Ciaran Lynch

254. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the position of community education is secured under the provision of the SOLAS Bill (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22359/13]

Croke Park Agreement Issues

Jack Wall

255. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a submission regarding Croke Park two; the plans he has to address the concerns raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22403/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Dan Neville

256. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a grant application refusal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22424/13]