Parliamentary questions

Ombudsman for Children Reports

Pearse Doherty

7. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will advise her and her Department’s analysis, if same has been done, of the more than 1,200 complaints recorded and addressed by the Ombudsman for Children in 2012; if it is the practice that year on year such an analysis is undertaken in order to take appropriate action to help reduce, if not eliminate, the causes of repeat issues arising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21771/13]

State Banking Sector Regulation

Pearse Doherty

59. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail the total nominal value of assets in the Asset Management Unit of Permanent TSB; if he will provide a category of the breakdown of these assets, in nominal value owner occupied mortgages, nominal value buy to let mortgages, nominal value of tracker owner occupied mortgages, nominal value of tracker buy-to-let mortgages, nominal value of commercial mortgages, nominal value of National Assets Management Agency bonds, nominal value of Irish Government bonds, nominal value of each of type of mortgage in arrears; if he will provide a breakdown of the type of deposits in the Asset Management Unit of Permanent TSB, the nominal amount of deposits below €100,000 and the nominal amount of deposits above €100,000; if he will provide a breakdown of the nominal amount of ECB or Ela finance in the Asset Management Unit of Permanent TSB, nominal value of Senior PTSB bonds in the Asset Management Unit, nominal value of PTSB subordinated bonds in the PTSB Asset Management Unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21982/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

60. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he instructs the Special Liquidator KPMG or indirectly the independent professional valuers of PWC and UBS pursuant to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013 to alter their preferred loan methodologies in order to ensure that the valuation of the total loan book of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation is greater than €12.928 billion combined with all the unguaranteed unsecured liabilities of the bank, the ELG liabilities of the bank and the Deposit Guaranteed Scheme liabilities of the bank that National Asset Management Agency’s acquisition of the remainder balance sheet of IBRC which is not sold to third parties would make all of those liabilities whole including providing an Exchequer boost of the €933.77 million the Exchequer has paid out for the ELG bonds as well as the £300 million of preference shares issued by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21983/13]

Central Bank of Ireland Issues

Pearse Doherty

61. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Central Bank of Ireland of borrowing unused capacity from counterparts in the 17-nation currency bloc relating to ANFA assets to ensure that the Central Bank of Ireland’s holding of Irish Government bonds as part of the promissory note restructuring deal is not in breach of Article 123 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; if he will detail the total nominal amount of capacity the Central Bank of Ireland has for holding ANFA assets without breaching EU Treaty law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21984/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

62. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the total fees charged by KPMG for the liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation shall be published on an annual basis as they would be if it were a court liquidation; if he will confirm whether the breakdown of KPMG fees will be published, including the valuation fees awarded to PWC for the entire loan book minus the UBS mandated portion; if he will confirm if the National Assets Management Agency intends to hire their own independent valuer for the loans once the remaining loans are transferred to NAMA from IBRC; if he will confirm if the sale of the IBRC transferred assets to NAMA will have an EU/IMF deadline process for subsequent sale of the assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21985/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

63. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the insolvency initiated under the powers given to him in the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013 is an insolvency proceeding within the meaning of section 6 (1) of S.I. No. 131/2003 European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003 and therefore exempt to the application of Regulations 3 and 4 of the said regulations; if he will confirm whether the insolvency initiated under the powers given to him in the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013 is considered a relevant insolvency proceeding within the meaning of the British Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 and therefore exempt from Regulations 4 and 7 of said regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21986/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

64. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the instructions given to the independent professional valuers of PWC and UBS, pursuant to the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013, by the Special Liquidator KPMG or indirectly by him is to achieve the most accurate independent valuation of the current market value or whether the instruction given is to ensure that the total valuation of the total loan book of IBRC achieves at least €12.928 billion; if he will confirm that it would be advantageous to the Exchequer’s finances for 2013 that the independent valuation of the total loan book of IBRC is at least €12.928 billion in order to avoid additional Exchequer cost to meet the shortfall between the independent valuation and the price to which either the private investor or National Asset Management Agency will pay for the cumulative total balance of the loan book; if he will confirm whether NAMA is concerned that his interests are not aligned with those of NAMA who could be forced to take on assets at a larger price than it is able to sell in the short or medium term thus prolonging the retention of the IBRC assets by NAMA in order to avoid him facing up to losses now rather than in the future if NAMA make a loss on these assets [21987/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Pearse Doherty

65. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance when SARP became operational; if any returns were made retrospectively for SARP in respect of 2011; if so, the number of people and the amounts involved; the instructions that have been given to persons availing of SARP in terms of conditions applicable; the number of jobs filled by Irish residents that have been created as a result of SARP; and if he will estimate the amount that will be saved for the Exchequer if SARP was abolished in 2014. [21997/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Pearse Doherty

66. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the conditions applicable for retirement relief; when the €2 million cap is due to come in; the revenue that could be raised for the Exchequer if the €2 million cap before CGT is applied was reduced to a cap of €1.5 million; the amount that could be raised for the Exchequer if the cap for transferring to a non family member was reduced from €750,000 to €500,000. [21998/13]

Tax Yield

Pearse Doherty

67. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 176 of 30 April 2013, in which he said that the Revenue Commissioners could not estimate the amount that would be raised if CGT was applied to the sale of principal residences because it is not a current policy, the reason an estimate cannot be made by his Department in view of the wealth of knowledge that has been accumulated by his Department in relation to house transactions in preparation for the local property tax; his views on whether it is acceptable that his Department cannot make estimates of revenue that could be raised or saved as a result of a new policy; and if he considers this an impediment to formulating new policies at budget time. [21999/13]

Tax Yield

Pearse Doherty

68. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 181 of 30 April 2013, regarding the lack of information of revenue that could be raised if CGT and CAT was applied to transfers between spouses, if he will consider establishing a database in which transfers of this type had to be recorded; and if he will then consider examining the policy of introducing a threshold for spousal transfers and applying either CGT or CAT to transfers. [22000/13]

Tax Credits

Pearse Doherty

69. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the current tax credit for rent relief; if it is being phased out and if so by when; and the cost of the tax relief in a full year at its current amount and at its previous value for €400 per annum. [22001/13]

Property Taxation Exemptions

Pearse Doherty

70. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that landlords can write the local property tax off against rent for tax purposes; and the estimated cost of this to the Exchequer. [22002/13]

VAT Rates Exemptions

Pearse Doherty

71. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the reason Betfair is not paying tax here; and the reason VAT is not being applied to the company. [22004/13]

Tax Exemptions

Pearse Doherty

72. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of the sporting bodies that currently have CGT exemptions. [22005/13]

Capital Allowances

Pearse Doherty

73. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the revenue that could be raised for the Exchequer by reducing the energy efficiency capital allowances from 100% to 50%; and the conditions applicable to avail of this allowance. [22006/13]

Tax Credits

Pearse Doherty

74. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered modernising the base year for R&D tax reliefs. [22008/13]

Tax Collection

Pearse Doherty

75. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of companies and persons that were audited for non-payment or under-payment of tax in the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, by year; the total amount that was due in tax following these audits; the amount of the tax that has been collected and by how many persons; the total amount the surcharges and late payment fines amounted to in these years; the amount that was actually charged in surcharges and late payment fines; and the number of persons that paid the amounts. [22009/13]

Tax Reliefs Cost

Pearse Doherty

76. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a breakdown by individual category of flat rate expenses; and their total cost to the Exchequer in tax reliefs in the last available tax year. [22010/13]

Tax Code

Pearse Doherty

111. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of proprietary directors in relation to income tax, PRSI and so on; the amount that would be raised for the Exchequer if PRSI was applied to proprietary directors' income. [22003/13]

Mortgage Arrears Proposals

Pearse Doherty

115. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason financial brokers are excluded from the Mortgage Advisory Services she has announced. [21907/13]

Mortgage Arrears Proposals

Pearse Doherty

116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has had a request from the Professional Insurance Brokers' Association to meet her regarding their exclusion from the Mortgage Advisory Service; and when this meeting will take place. [21908/13]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Pearse Doherty

176. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in payment of an agri-environment scheme 1 application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21940/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Pearse Doherty

222. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form per department in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal, the current waiting times for public patients; the number of public patients currently on each list; the average number of public patients treated per month; the number of persons waiting more than nine months for either an appointment or procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22011/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Pearse Doherty

55. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No.153 of 23 April 2013, if he will confirm the amount donated by Irish Aid to the Clinton Foundation in 2011 and 2012. [21599/13]

NAMA Court Cases

Pearse Doherty

62. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to an affidavit filed in the High Court in Dublin in which the National Asset Management Agency was seeking a judgment against a person (details supplied), if he will confirm that NAMA has provided confidential details, both the par value of the loan and the NAMA acquisition value, to persons not directly connected to the borrowers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21635/13]

NAMA Property Leases

Pearse Doherty

63. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the arrangement between the National Asset Management Agency and the National Association of Building Co-Operatives; the number of properties to which the arrangement relates; the length of the lease terms; if NAMA is charging market rents; the location of the properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21636/13]

NAMA Property Sales

Pearse Doherty

64. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm for each of 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013, the number of housing units sold by the National Assets Management Agency in the State for social housing; the number leased and the number presently being offered for sale or rent for social housing. [21637/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

65. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, the reason interest income increased in 2012 compared with 2011, despite loans decreasing by €3bn and the European Central Bank reducing its main interest rate from 1.0% to 0.75% in July 2012. [21638/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

66. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, if he will provide an explanation for the line item portfolio management fees which in 2012 amounted to a cost of €4,670,000 compared to €15,902,000 in 2011. [21639/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

67. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, the reason due diligence costs of €4,086,000 were recorded in 2012 in view of the fact that the last tranche of NAMA loans were acquired in March 2012; and if the due diligence costs are properly rechargeable to the banks from which the loans were acquired. [21640/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

68. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, the staff costs excluding employer pension contributions and pay related social insurance in 2012; the average number of full time equivalent employees at the Agency during the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

69. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, if he will confirm the split of the €2.8bn of asset disposals between loan sales and real estate property sales. [21642/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

70. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, if he will confirm the percentage of non-performing loans by reference to nominal values and the original loan terms. [21643/13]

Exchequer Returns

Pearse Doherty

71. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a calendar of the future dates in 2013 when his Department’s monthly Exchequer statements will be published [21644/13]

NAMA Accounts

Pearse Doherty

72. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to the publication of the 2012 unaudited accounts for the National Asset Management Agency, if he will provide his assessment of the performance of NAMA in 2012; and if he has concluded this assessment following consultation with the NAMA advisory board. [21645/13]

NAMA Transactions

Pearse Doherty

73. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a copy of the collateral posting agreement between the National Treasury Management Agency and the National Asset Management Agency which required NAMA to place €1.15bn as collateral with the NTMA at December 2012 in respect of derivative exposure. [21646/13]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Pearse Doherty

83. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends to review the situation whereby children with Down's syndrome are unable to access the maximum allocation of resource hours; if he will review Spec Ed 02/05 to ensure that children with Down's syndrome are recognised in their own right; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21607/13]

Environmental Protection Agency Governance

Pearse Doherty

143. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas the latest report and accounts for the Environmental Protection Agency. [21647/13]

Local Government Management Agency Issues

Pearse Doherty

144. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas the latest report and accounts of the Local Government Management Agency; if he will confirm his Department’s funding of the LGMA in each of 2011 and 2012; and if he will confirm the fees paid to the board members and chief executive officer in each of 2011 and 2012. [21648/13]

Hospital Appointment Delays

Pearse Doherty

215. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the reason a referral in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who is experiencing great discomfort has been cancelled and rescheduled for 15 October 2014; his views on whether this is an appropriate time frame to wait for such an urgent appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21611/13]

Hospital Appointment Delays

Pearse Doherty

228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when an appointment for an MRI scan will become available for a person (details supplied) who requires extensive surgery; if he will provide details of the current MRI waiting times for public patients at this hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21734/13]

Banking Sector Remuneration

Pearse Doherty

110. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Taoiseach further to comments from the chief executive officer of a company (details supplied), at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2013, if, when he met with the person, he gave any commitment on bankers' pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21089/13]

NAMA Debtors

Pearse Doherty

127. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos 198 and 199 of 23 April 2013, when he stated the National Assets Management Agency advises that even there the bankruptcy is discharged, the bankruptcy estate continues until such time as all assets have been liquidated and the debt, in so far as possible, has been repaid and in relation to the discharge from bankruptcy in Britain of a person (details supplied) in November 2011, if he will confirm that NAMA has still not written off the unpaid debt originally owed by the person to NAMA, and that generally, NAMA has not yet written off any debt as a result of bankruptcy by its debtors in foreign jurisdictions. [21173/13]

NAMA Board Appointments

Pearse Doherty

128. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to parliamentary Question No. 224 of 23 April 2013, the consultation he had with the advisory board of the National Assets Management Agency prior to appointing a person (details supllied) to the board of NAMA; the date and general nature of such consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21174/13]

NAMA Board Appointments

Pearse Doherty

129. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 23 April 2013, the consultation, if any, that he had on the three persons at the National Treasury Management Agency and the National Assets Management Agency who have not accepted waivers on their €200,000 salaries in 2013. [21175/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Pearse Doherty

130. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 69 of 24 April 2013, if the two advisers acting on behalf of AIB-EBS and the AIB-EBS pension fund were employees of the same firm. [21176/13]

NAMA Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

131. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 23 April 2013, if he will confirm the budgeted and actual cost of the National Asset Management Agency advisory board in its first year of operation. [21177/13]

Bank Debt Restructuring

Pearse Doherty

132. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the amount of debt forgiveness that will be provided by Allied Irish Bank to Independent News and Media as part of the latter firm's recently announced reorganisation plans. [21178/13]

Banks Recapitalisation

Pearse Doherty

133. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance his latest estimate of the gross and net cost of bailing out Anglo Irish bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society. [21179/13]

Banks Recapitalisation

Pearse Doherty

134. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 283 of 18 September 2012, in which he stated the bank's CEO has given an indication previously that the likely outcome for Anglo Irish Bank would be in the €25-€28 billion region, if, following the planning of the special liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation from October 2012 when he stated that he first consulted KPMG on the matter and following the appointment of a special liquidator on 6 February 2013, his views on whether this outcome of €25-€28 billion still holds. [21180/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

135. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the total actual and potential claims by local authorities against Irish Bank Resolution Corporation in respect of unpaid developer bonds relating to building developments; and if he will confirm the way such liabilities will rank amongst IBRC's creditors. [21181/13]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals

Pearse Doherty

216. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to an application for domiciliary care which was received by her Department on 10 May 2012, refused and subsequently went for appeal in February 2013 (details supplied) in County Donegal, if it is appropriate that this application will now take a possible 41 weeks if it goes to an oral hearing and in view of the fact that further new information was received by the appeals office last week with regard to this young person's condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21348/13]

Irish Film Board

Pearse Doherty

242. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the recent publication of the 2011 annual report and accounts of the Irish Film Board, if he will provide his assessment of the performance and governance of the IFB. [21182/13]

Irish Film Board

Pearse Doherty

243. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the recent publication of the 2011 annual report and accounts of the Irish Film Board, if he will confirm the average salary paid to staff in 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21183/13]

Irish Film Board

Pearse Doherty

244. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the recent publication of the 2011 annual report and accounts of the Irish Film Board, if he is concerned at the volume of lending provided by the IFB to its board members. [21184/13]

Irish Film Board

Pearse Doherty

245. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the recent publication of the 2011 annual report and accounts of the Irish Film Board, if he is concerned at any of the expenses incurred. [21185/13]

Irish Film Board

Pearse Doherty

246. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to the recent publication of the 2011 annual report and accounts of the Irish Film Board, if he will provide an assessment of the relevant skills and experience of the new chairman of the IFB who he recently appointed (details supplied). [21186/13]

Crime Statistics

Pearse Doherty

285. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to the broadcast of the Prime Time investigation entitled Riches from Rags on 25 April, 2013, which chronicled scores of alleged thefts from charitable clothes bins across the State, if he will confirm the number of individual crime reports that have been registered on the PULSE system and when the crime reports were registered on PULSE; and the way such alleged thefts are shown in crime statistics reported by the Central Statistics Office. [21187/13]

Crime Statistics

Pearse Doherty

286. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question 900 on 16 April, 2013, the way a member of the public who has reported a crime to An Garda Síochána can be confident that the crime has been entered onto the Garda PULSE system. [21188/13]

Courts Service Issues

Pearse Doherty

287. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of summonses issued at the behest of An Garda Siochana in each of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; if there are any trends which are of concern to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21189/13]

Garda Corruption

Pearse Doherty

288. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prosecutions initiated against current or former members of An Garda Síochána under section 62 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. [21190/13]

Citizenship Ceremonies

Pearse Doherty

294. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin, will be called to attend a citizenship ceremony [21330/13]

Child Care Services Provision

Pearse Doherty

356. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are plans to close the Mol an Óige residential care home and outreach service for children and young persons in Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21113/13]

Child Care Reports

Pearse Doherty

357. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered the findings of the child law project report which indicates that children in County Donegal are ten times more likely to be put into State care; her views on the report; the plans in place to ensure that there are appropriate facilities in place for the children concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21114/13]

Child Care Reports

Pearse Doherty

358. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered the findings of the child law project report which indicates that children in County Donegal are ten times more likely to be put into State care; her views on the findings; the plans put in place by her to reduce this figure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21118/13]

Inter-Country Adoptions

Pearse Doherty

359. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will confirm for each of 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the number of children adopted by State residents from each of Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States including Russia and from all foreign jurisdictions. [21193/13]

Hospital Staff

Pearse Doherty

376. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of practitioners that are currently employed in the orthodontic unit at Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; the number of practitioners currently on maternity or other leave; if he is satisfied with the existing levels of staffing and service provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21112/13]

Home Help Service Provision

Pearse Doherty

377. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed directly by the Health Service Executive to provide home help services in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21115/13]

Home Help Service Provision

Pearse Doherty

378. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently employed by private bodies such as bluebird care for the provision of home help services in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21116/13]

Home Help Service Provision

Pearse Doherty

379. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if the 605,000 home help hours to be provided by the Health Service Executive in County Donegal in 2013 include those to be provided by private companies under a service level agreement by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21117/13]

Official Engagements

Pearse Doherty

422. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an itinerary of his official engagements in the United States over the recent St. Patrick's Day holiday as part of the Department of Foreign Affairs Promote Ireland programme. [21192/13]

Family Reunification Policy

Pearse Doherty

12. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of family reunification cases currently being delayed by the current pause in processing certain categories pending his new policy in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20835/13]

Consular Services Expenditure

Pearse Doherty

48. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 157 of 23 April 2013 if he will confirm the salary and related costs of diplomatic representation of staff posted from Ireland in 2011 and 2012; the capital expenditure expended on diplomatic representation in those years; if he will provide in tabular form the number of staff employed in diplomatic representation whose annual salary lies in the following ranges: €100-150,000, €150-200,000, €200-250,000 and more than €250,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20866/13]

Euro Coins Production

Pearse Doherty

53. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to reports that it costs the State 1.65c to create a 1c coin, if he will confirm the unit cost of creating the following specie - 2c, 5c, 10c, 50c, 1 euro and 2 euro. [20862/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Pearse Doherty

54. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 185 of 23 April 2013 and confirmation that the Central Bank of Ireland has engaged BlackRock International to provide the stress-testing of Irish banks in 2013, if he will outline the principal acquisitions of assets in Ireland by BlackRock since the last stress-testing in January-March 2011. [20863/13]

National Treasury Management Agency Remuneration

Pearse Doherty

55. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 193 of 23 April 2013, if he will provide an explanation for expenses of the NTMA as they relate to the net funds drawn down from the Exchequer to cover the National Treasury management Agency's administrative costs of €10.72 million for the three months ending 31 March 2013. [20864/13]

HGV Driving Courses

Pearse Doherty

78. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to any discrepency on a county basis between the number of hours of lessons offered to participants on HGV driving courses for which participants have received funding from FÁS; the reasons for such a discrepency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21012/13]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Pearse Doherty

113. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection further to the decision by the European Court of Justice in the appeal by workers at the former Waterford Crystal company in respect of their pension entitlements, the potential liability that arises in this case; if she will provide an estimate of potential liabilities in respect of other company pension schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20865/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Pearse Doherty

125. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the current waiting times per social welfare payment for the processing of applications by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21013/13]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Pearse Doherty

126. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the current waiting times per social welfare payment for the processing of appeals by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21014/13]

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Pearse Doherty

127. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the current waiting times per social welfare payment for the processing of reviews by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21015/13]

Disability Allowance Applications Waiting Times

Pearse Doherty

128. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department is currently reviewing disability applications from July 2012; the reasons for the backlog; the attempts made by her Department to clear this backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21016/13]

Social Wefare Appeals Process

Pearse Doherty

129. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is the policy of her Department that children are prohibited from accompanying their parents to an oral hearing for a Department care allowance application appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21017/13]

Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Pearse Doherty

141. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there is currently any scheme or funding available in his Department similar to the Gaeltacht area house grants scheme to allow Gaeltacht residents to update or repair their homes; if he intends to restore this scheme in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20976/13]

RTE Revenue

Pearse Doherty

144. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 411 on 23 April 2013, if he will confirm if Radio Telefís Éireann’s revenue has been sufficient to meet all sums properly chargeable to its current account and that RTÉ has made suitable provisions with respect to capital expenditure in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20867/13]

Departmental Schemes

Pearse Doherty

165. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any scheme in place in his Department for former council tenants or those on low incomes to avail of financial assistance to carry out essential home repairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20975/13]

Departmental Bodies Reports

Pearse Doherty

169. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will lay the latest annual report and accounts for the Irish Film Classification Office before the Houses of the Oireachtas. [20868/13]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Pearse Doherty

245. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for orthodontic treatments in Letterkenny General Hospital, County Donegal; the number of these that have been on the list for more than two years; the number of these who have been on this list for more than one year; the average length of time spent by a child on the waiting list before treatment is carried out; the number of children who have been added to the waiting list per month over the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21033/13]

Proposed Legislation

Pearse Doherty

58. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made in the drafting of the local government Bill; and when he expects the Bill to be published. [20501/13]

Local Government Reform

Pearse Doherty

65. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made with the proposed alignment of local government and the engagement there has been with representatives of staff and the community sector. [20498/13]

Banking Operations

Pearse Doherty

81. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the right a citizen has to a bank account. [20600/13]

Banking Operations

Pearse Doherty

86. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the guidelines that exist for banks regarding lodgements they can refuse to accept, that is, packs of coins under a certain value or coins as part of priority lodgments for businesses.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20634/13]

Mortgage Arrears Rate

Pearse Doherty

166. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 252 of 16 April 2013, if he will confirm the name or names of the principal person or persons at the Central Bank of Ireland responsible for setting and monitoring targets at the banks for dealing with distressed mortgages. [20016/13]

Banking Sector Remuneration

Pearse Doherty

167. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an explanation for the €284,000 of ex gratia payments paid to former directors and-or dependants referred to on page 127 of the 2012 annual report and accounts of Bank of Ireland, a bank in which he controls 15% of the ordinary shares and €1.5 billion of preference shares. [20017/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Pearse Doherty

168. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to reports in a national newspaper that a property subject to a loan from Bank of Ireland, in which he owns 15% of the ordinary shares and €1.5bn of preference shares, was sold in January 2012 for circa STG £5 million and is now on the market with an asking price of STG £12.3 million, if he is satisfied that the sale in January 2012 maximised the return on the outstanding loan to Bank of Ireland. [20018/13]

IBRC Liquidation

Pearse Doherty

169. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to a report in a Sunday newspaper on 21 April 2013 regarding the special liquidation of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation which claimed to quote a Department spokesperson telling the newspaper, if the value of the assets sold is not sufficient to compensate the National Asset Management Agency for the bonds it has issued, he will be required to reimburse NAMA for the shortfall, it will hit the national accounts, surplus-shortfall, it is not accounted for off balance, if he will confirm if this is correct; if so, if he will explain the apparent inconsistency with the response given by him to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 275 to 278, inclusive, of 16 April 2013 when he stated through the liquidation process, the proceeds from the disposal of IBRC's assets will be used to repay creditors in accordance with normal Companies Acts priorities and, consequently, preferred creditors will be paid first and then debt purchased by NAMA from the Central Bank will be paid; and if he will confirm if NAMA will bear any loss on its issuance of bonds and, if not, how any shortfall will be addressed. [20019/13]

NAMA Loans Sale

Pearse Doherty

170. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the procedure used by the National Asset Management Agency when approached by a potential buyer of loans controlled by the agency, and specifically the way it deals with a specific multi-million euro offer for loans; if NAMA has time targets for acknowledging or responding to such approaches; and if there is no acknowledgement or response, if potential buyers have alternative routes to convey offers to NAMA. [20020/13]

Banking Sector Regulation

Pearse Doherty

171. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Questions Nos 64 of 12 July 2012 and 251 of 16 March 2013, the power the Central Bank of Ireland has to compel banks to write down the value of problem loans to the value of underlying security if the bank changes its primary regulator, for example, if Ulster Bank changes its regulator to the Bank of England and the British Financial Services Authority. [20021/13]

Banking Sector Issues

Pearse Doherty

172. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 240 of 16 April 2013, if he will provide a reconciliation between the €3.2 billion, which now takes the form of our remaining 15% equity stake and preference shares with a nominal value of €1.8 billion, and the net cash position of nearer €1.1 billion showing coupons, dividends and ELG fees received by year. [20036/13]