Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Hospital Services

John Halligan

247. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health where critical care capacity inadequacies have been acknowledge within Waterford University Hospital resulting in the regular cancellation of elective cancer surgeries due to the lack of critical care beds, when will the shortfall be addressed by his Department; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that WUH currently has one consultant gastroenterologist and only one colorectal surgeon on staff which is completely insufficient to meet the ongoing demand particularly where this hospital is to be a critical care centre; when the provision of additional critical care personnel will be sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54667/13]

Hospital Services

John Halligan

248. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the level of support Waterford University Hospital can expect to receive from University College Cork in terms of further development of cancer services in Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54668/13]

Hospital Services

John Halligan

249. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health when the five promised professional academic posts will be filled in Waterford University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54669/13]

HSE Expenditure

John Halligan

272. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health the cost to the State of Health Service Executive agency doctors at Waterford Regional Hospital in 2013; the cost in each of the years 2009 to 2012, inclusive; the average monthly cost of agency doctors at Waterford Regional Hospital in 2013; in comparison, the amount it would have cost the State to have these posts permanently filled during the same periods; his views on whether this is an economic use of State funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54739/13]

Defence Forces Equipment

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Defence the number of drones purchased by the Irish Defence Forces over the past decade; the reason for their purchase; the cost of same; the level of usage these drones have seen; if these tracking devices have been made available to An Garda Síochána as an aid to its intelligence gathering agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52919/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

John Halligan

307. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he first became aware of certain proposals being made by EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52752/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

John Halligan

308. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the regular contact between his Department and EirGrid during the initial consultation period; if he is closely monitoring the outpouring of adverse public reaction to the EirGrid proposals, which have been seen across the country in the potentially affected areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52753/13]

Inland Fisheries Issues

John Halligan

309. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will address the ongoing concerns of many trout anglers, who are extremely concerned after being informed by the CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland that a compulsory angler registration charge is to be levied on every angler in Ireland as part of the new inland fisheries legislation (details supplied); when this charge will come into effect; the amount the charge will be; the way this charge will be monitored; and the amount of the revenue raised from this charge that will be put back into the development of the fishing industry. [52782/13]

Health Services Staff Remuneration

John Halligan

218. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if any person in either Waterford Regional Hospital or any other Health Service Executive operated institution within Waterford city and county has been in receipt of any top up payments similar to those currently being reported in the media; if so which institution; the member of staff that has received the top up payment; where the associated additional funds have come from; his views on officially appointed members of staff receiving top up payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52299/13]

Hospital Charges

John Halligan

219. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health regarding Waterford Regional Hospital car parking facilities, the amount annually that has been collected in the past five years from 2008 to 2012, inclusive; the person or company that operates the car parking facilities and where these funds are allocated; if they are reinvested in the hospital itself; if so, in which areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52300/13]

Social Welfare Code

John Halligan

79. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection when local government employees reach the age of 65 and are required to retire and make application to her Department for jobseeker's allowance, if the obligation to make themselves available for work will be strictly imposed; if these persons will be means tested as per the usual procedure after the allotted nine months or so on the payment; her views on whether this is an economic use of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51151/13]

Local Authority Staff

John Halligan

97. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the rationale behind imposing an obligation on local government employees to retire at the age of 65 without the option of working on until they reach the pensionable age of 66; his views that it is an extraordinary situation where these people are being forced to retire, leaving an already stretched local government with an even greater staffing shortage as under the moratorium these positions will not be filled while at the same time adding additional obligations onto the Department of Social Protection as these people will be forced to make applications for jobseeker's allowance; if he will commit to looking into the possibility of permitting those affected to extend their service up to the age of 66 and allow them to make a valid contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51152/13]

Crime Data

John Halligan

118. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that were put off the road for drunk driving offences under the Intoxicating Liquor Act over the past five years, 2008 to 2012, inclusive; the number of these persons that have since re-offended and have once again been put off the road for similar offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51150/13]

Haddington Road Agreement Savings

John Halligan

122. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that after all the deductions and restitution due under the Haddington Road agreement there will still be a permanent gap of 7.5% between pre and post-2011 teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42443/13]

Jobs Initiative

John Halligan

295. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any statistics regarding the age of persons who are currently managing to gain employment and remove themselves from the live register; those taking up work placement schemes either through JobBridge, Tús or similar such schemes; if she will acknowledge that in the current climate there are additional obstacles put in place where a person who is making job applications is of a certain age; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49311/13]

Public Private Partnerships Cost

John Halligan

732. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the reason the Government will pay in the region of €10 million in subsidies over the next decade to a Spanish company (details supplied) and its operating concessionary partner for tolls generated on the M3 motorway and also the Limerick motorway in view of the deplorable state of the roads here, particularly rural roads; the steps he intends to take to renegotiate the current contracts held with the companies concerned as the Portuguese Government has recently done; his views on whether the outlay could be easily redirected to address road surfacing issues throughout the country; if his Department is looking into the possibility of renegotiating these contracts; if so, the steps that have been taken to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49312/13]

Hospital Services

John Halligan

3. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the current moratorium on recruitment within the Health Service Executive is negatively impacting on the provision of services across the spectrum and it is only a matter of time before the entire service is irreparably damaged; if the Health Information and Quality Authority has given its recommendations for minimum requirements regarding staffing levels; if he will make them available; his views on whether it is unacceptable that in a centre of excellence such as Waterford Regional Hospital the orthopaedic department has at times been running at less than 50% capacity with at least three of the surgical posts being unfilled which is exacerbating an already overstretched service and is resulting in waiting times escalating to years rather than months; if he will acknowledge that the orthopaedic department in Waterford Regional Hospital is now forced to set aside what are considered to be elective surgeries, although they are essential, as it does not have the capacity to maintain a full schedule for both inpatient and outpatient procedures; if he will make a firm commitment to review the moratorium and the effects it is having with a view to lifting the restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48347/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the situation whereby in assessing income for eligibility of a medical card, persons aged over 70 years are assessed on gross income but persons aged under 70 years are assessed on net income; his plans to rectify same and assess income based on net income for all applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48353/13]

International Relations

John Halligan

50. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has intervened with the Egyptian Government to demand the release of four Irish citizens who are being held in an Egyptian prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47710/13]

Child Protection

John Halligan

299. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the criminal concerns the Garda had, as distinct from child protection concerns, in the case of the seven year old child taken from a Roma family in Tallaght; if it is criminal concerns that explains the removal of the child from the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47712/13]

Racial Profiling

John Halligan

300. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way racial profiling is used in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47713/13]

Salmon Hardship Scheme

John Halligan

625. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 17 July 2013, in view of the fact that both the eel and salmon fisheries in Ireland were suspended without any form of compensation or diversification being offered which resulted in recent tragedies where affected fishermen were forced to take greater risks making a living at sea in inadequate boats in order to support their families, if he will consider putting in place a set aside payment package for those fishermen interested in continuing to fish and a buyout package for those fishermen who wish to exit the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46736/13]

Salmon Hardship Scheme

John Halligan

626. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his view's that traditional commercial fishing is an important part of the heritage of rural life and is a tradition which stretches back generations over hundreds of years; his views that it is essential that we retain and pass on this heritage which is vital to the conservation of the traditions in rural fishing communities here; if he will consider re-opening the eel commercial fisheries on a pilot scheme as has been done on salmon rivers as a means to preserve these traditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46737/13]

Connemara Oil Field

John Halligan

22. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide the details of an oil find by Statoil in 1997 in the Connemara field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45049/13]

Property Taxation Collection

John Halligan

73. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the local property tax, if he will confirm since its collection the percentage of those persons considered to be the responsible person who have registered for the tax; the percentage who have actually made arrangements to pay the tax; if he will confirm the figure that has been collected to date per county; of the figure collected, the amount that has been distributed to the relevant local authority; the amount that has been retained by the Exchequer of the figure collected; the amount that has been allocated to paying off the national debt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45472/13]

Family Income Supplement Application Numbers

John Halligan

140. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of public service workers who are currently supplementing their income with family income supplement; the number of those public service workers currently with applications awaiting approval; her views on whether, in certain cases, the reduction of public service hours in an effort save money on wages has put an additional burden on her Department, specifically in respect of family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45474/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

John Halligan

156. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the input his Department has had in the choosing of the areas where EirGrid are currently proposing to erect pylons within Ireland; if other options were considered, that is underground lines or lines at sea; the agreements that have been made between his Department and EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45475/13]

Electricity Transmission Network

John Halligan

157. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether there may be a conflict of interest on the part of the consulting engineering company (details supplied) that EirGrid has employed to advise them on the selection of what they call the least constrained corridor in view of the fact that this company has also been employed by Tipperary County Council and a decision there could greatly impact on any decision made in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45476/13]

Electromagnetic Fields Studies

John Halligan

173. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to any research having been carried out in Ireland or the EU in relation to the impact pylons have on a person's health; his views on whether these pylons may trigger cancer cells to develop; if the World Health Organisation have made any assessment on the health effects of pylons to persons living within close proximity to these pylons; his views on whether the erection of pylons will have a detrimental effect on those living in the surrounding areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45477/13]

Defence Forces Medals

John Halligan

206. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Defence following on from the plan in 2006 to issue replacement certificates to the families of the military veterans of 1916 and the War of Independence, his plans to issue replacement medals to the families of those servicemen prior to the celebration of the 100-year anniversary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45473/13]

JobsPlus Scheme

John Halligan

48. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the higher subsidies for employers who employ a person who is two years unemployed under the JobsPlus scheme as against a lower payment for persons unemployed for a shorter time will inevitably encourage employers to ignore applications from those out of work for a shorter period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43414/13]

Public Sector Staff Issues

John Halligan

5. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public sector workers currently employed here; the number of job losses which will be seen up to the end of 2015; his views on whether his plan to further reduce the numbers of public service workers is flawed and will ultimately result in already stretched Departments reaching breaking point; his views on whether having a public service that currently barely functions having no cover for either sick leave or maternity leave seriously affects the service it provides; his views on whether the backlogs in various Departments are accumulating as a direct result of the cutbacks and reduced staffing levels; if he will commit to putting in place an alternative strategy to reach the €1 billion in spending cuts he hopes to achieve by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42740/13]

Teachers' Remuneration

John Halligan

102. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that he has indicated that he will continue to pay ASTI members the annual supervision and substitution allowance of €1,769, gross, the amount he intends to allocate for this allowance in budget 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42184/13]

Mortgage Resolution Processes

John Halligan

19. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance his plans to put pressure on banks to arrive at more permanent and sustainable solutions for distressed mortgage holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41473/13]

Corporate Tax Regime Issues

John Halligan

39. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will introduce measures in budget 2014 to increase the tax contribution of highly profitable corporations through the introduction of a minimum effective corporation tax rate by closing off loopholes which facilitate aggressive tax avoidance by some corporations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41474/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

John Halligan

98. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm the rationale behind the decision to introduce the supplementary allocation panel for special needs assistants; the reason entry onto this panel is only open to special needs assistants who have been working for the past school year and were to lose their positions on 31 August; the way a panel such as this could so blatantly discriminate against special needs assistants who had the misfortune to lose their positions at an earlier date; the number of persons currently on this panel; if a school is obliged to state on any job advertisements that applicants will be taken from the panel only; if there should be an obligation on his Department to have those best suited for the available positions added to the panel; the way he can justify this panel as it stands; and if he will make a commitment to look into the implications of this oversight and make the necessary arrangements to have entry to such panels opened to all qualified applicants [41563/13]

Foreign Conflicts

John Halligan

28. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will condemn the closure of Gaza from both the Israeli and Egyptian sides, which has resulted in a severe shortage of medicine and medical disposables entering the Gaza Strip and which combined with electricity shortages has placed nearly one thousand patients at risk of death; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41183/13]

Foreign Conflicts

John Halligan

49. Deputy John Halligan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a large sewage treatment plant being constructed in Gaza with funding from the World Bank may not become operational due to a shortage of required electric power, and that an appeal for more electricity made to Israel has been ignored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41184/13]

Pension Provisions

John Halligan

68. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company has prepared a funding proposal in relation to the funding status of the defined benefit pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40888/13]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

John Halligan

129. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale behind the recent decision to impose an obligation on those moving from a VTOS payment to a back to education allowance, BETA, payment to apply for a jobseeker's payment before being assessed for BTEA; if she will acknowledge this change is causing undue stress to those wishing to move to a BTEA in 2013; if she will commit to enable those persons in the VTOS system to move seamlessly to a BTEA payment and restrict the change to new entrants to the schemes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40167/13]

Asylum Applications

John Halligan

181. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers currently awaiting a decision; the average waiting time associated with applications for asylum; the number of residential establishments currently housing asylum seekers in the State; the weekly cost to the State to provide residential accommodation for each asylum seeker; during these placement's the attempts made at preparing these persons for future integration into the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40165/13]

Garda Operations

John Halligan

182. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current guidelines covering the correct and appropriate use of pepper spray by An Garda Síochána; his views that the recent use of this agent against Irish citizens outside Dáil Éireann was both warranted or necessary; if he will make a commitment to review the use of pepper spray in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40168/13]

Aquaculture Development

John Halligan

210. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the guidelines and parameters that have been set down by his Department to govern the oyster and mussel collection by a company (details supplied) at Woodstown Beach, County Waterford; if any restrictions have been placed on this company in relation to bringing heavy machinery onto the beach; the regulatory checks carried by his Department in relation to the irrevocable damage and destruction being caused on the beach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40166/13]

Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations

John Halligan

51. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the conclusion of the recent Common Agricultural Policy negotiations, if he will confirm if Ireland will retain its current funding levels under Pillar 1 and Pillar 2; if the level of funding has been reduced; if he will further confirm the level of funding has been approved for Ireland under each pillar; if his Department has begun the process of determining what the elements of the new programme will be; the elements of the current programme which are to be retained; if he will further confirm when his proposed programme for implementation for 2014 to 2020 will be put to the commission for their consideration; the timeline for delivery of commitments arising from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39615/13]

VAT Rate Application

John Halligan

208. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a commitment to keep the VAT rate at 9% to benefit the hospitality sector which will have a positive knock-on effect for all of those linked with the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37837/13]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

John Halligan

321. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in terms of the criteria set down by the student grant scheme, which state that an applicant is judged as having dependent/independent residence from the October prior to their first point of entry into higher education unless they have had a break of three years or more between courses, if an application is made prior to applicants' 23rd birthday they are automatically deemed to be dependent on their parents regardless of their personal situation, if he will clarify if his Department has any plans to review these criteria; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that very many students who are living independently from their parents and who are fully supporting themselves are having their applications refused on the basis that they are dependent on their parents even though the vast majority of them have very clear evidence to the contrary; if he will commit to revising these criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37710/13]

Fisheries Protection

John Halligan

771. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the conservation levels of salmon stock in both the Suir and in the Nore have reached acceptable levels and they have therefore been reopened for net snap fishing, if he will confirm that once the conservation levels of the stock of salmon on the Barrow has also been reached and snap net fishing is reopened there, if it will then follow that this will lead to the traditional drift net fishery being reopened on the Suir further down where the three rivers flow together; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37715/13]

Public Broadcasting Charge Introduction

John Halligan

800. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the fact that every household, business or institution here with a television or equipment capable of receiving a television signal must have a television licence which is a certificate that states that they have paid the appropriate fee to the Government and contributed to the cost of public service broadcasting in Ireland; if he will confirm what service is provided by public service broadcasting for this fee where the household also pays a monthly subscription to an independent television provider for satellite service; if the Government is receiving VAT on inter alia the initial television purchase, the television service provider subscription fee and the ESB usage associated with the television set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37845/13]

Fire Service

John Halligan

910. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm the number of false alarm calls that have been made to Waterford city and county fire services in each of the past five years; the number of calls in these years that were categorised as having malicious intent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37711/13]

Garda Vetting Applications

John Halligan

1003. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will address the delay in receiving Garda clearance (details supplied). [36993/13]