Parliamentary questions

Disability Allowance Appeals

Heather Humphreys

85. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of disability allowance claims which were awarded following an appeal to the appeals office in the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51183/13]

Animal Slaughtering Standards

Heather Humphreys

141. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of licensed operators available for the on-farm slaughter of casualty animals; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that delays in attending to these animals mean that they cannot enter the food chain which causes unnecessary financial loss to the farmer; if he will consider increasing the number of licensed operators to cope with any surge in demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51184/13]

Agriculture Schemes Administration

Heather Humphreys

146. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of land eligibility inspections carried out for single farm payments in the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51220/13]

Agriculture Schemes Payments

Heather Humphreys

165. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive their disadvantaged areas payment and their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50949/13]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Heather Humphreys

167. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50951/13]

Agriculture Schemes Payments

Heather Humphreys

169. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive their disadvantaged areas and single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51024/13]

Carbon Tax Collection

Heather Humphreys

177. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the second phase of the carbon tax which is due for implementation in May 2014; if he will consider deferring the further increase in view of the difficulties many coal and fuel merchants in the Border counties are experiencing due to the fact that only a 5% VAT rate is applied to coal in Northern Ireland in comparison with 13.5% in the Republic of Ireland; if there have been any discussions regarding the implementation of the carbon tax on an all-island basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50464/13]

Carer's Allowance Appeals

Heather Humphreys

118. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of carer's allowance claims that were awarded following an appeal to the appeal's office in the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50047/13]

Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Heather Humphreys

154. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the Government’s review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000; the guidelines given to local authorities to assist those in arrears with their county council mortgages; the consideration that will be given to those who participated in the shared ownership scheme and now find themselves in negative equity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50044/13]

Agriculture Schemes Payments

Heather Humphreys

191. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment and single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49970/13]

Single Payment Scheme Payments

Heather Humphreys

194. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will receive their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50035/13]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Heather Humphreys

195. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive their disadvantaged area scheme payment and their single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50063/13]

Motor Tax Issues

Heather Humphreys

415. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding tax requirements for agricultural quad bikes; if he will consider introducing a similar system to the UK where farmers can register quads as light agricultural vehicles when using them on the road to travel distances of less than 1.5 km between sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49367/13]

Social Welfare Appeals Data

Heather Humphreys

102. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of appeals received in the social protection appeals office in each of the past five years; the number of appeals in respect of each social welfare payment; the steps currently being taken to reduce appeal waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48788/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Heather Humphreys

161. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the current delay in the collection of reactor cattle; the steps his Department is taking to resolve this issue in view of the considerable distress it is causing to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48699/13]

Roadworthiness Testing

Heather Humphreys

206. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider extending the NCT exemption for vintage cars and tractors to cover vintage lorries registered prior to 1980 in view of the fact these lorries are generally used at charity events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48675/13]

Motor Tax Collection

Heather Humphreys

17. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the introduction of a pay as you go motor tax system for the haulage industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47062/13]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Heather Humphreys

45. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will invite applications for the next round of the sports capital programme; if there will be changes to the terms and conditions of the programme and the application process from the last round; if special consideration will be given to those applications which were unsuccessful in the last round; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46980/13]

State Examinations Issues

Heather Humphreys

57. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will instruct the State Examinations Commission to ensure that in future the leaving certificate rechecks are completed before the new academic year commences in view of the difficulties and distress caused to students who receive their correct results in mid-October, some six weeks into the academic year, when many students have already started a course that was not their preferred choice, and when they may no longer be able to transfer due to the fact that their first-choice course is now full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47243/13]

Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals

Heather Humphreys

83. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a jobseeker's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47281/13]