Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Pyrite Remediation Programme

Clare Daly

131. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the Pyrite Remediation Board, with particular reference to the way consideration is being given to deal with cases where a dwelling has a BCA rating of 1 with progression, and where the adjoining property or properties have been approved for remediation; the number of such properties that have been accepted for inclusion in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45873/14]

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Clare Daly

155. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will review the criteria of eligibility for community employment schemes in order to enable a person who has been unemployed for six months to apply for a scheme. [45988/14]

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

Clare Daly

221. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason upper body amputees are excluded from the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Regulations 1994; and the actions he will take to include single arm amputees in new legislation. [46255/14]

Mortgage Intermediary Licence Revocation

Clare Daly

223. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason a company (details supplied) was provided with a ten year licence by the Irish Financial Regulator despite the regulator having had in its possession evidence of malpractice, a decision which it had to subsequently revoke. [46282/14]

VAT Rate Application

Clare Daly

227. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason utility companies are instructed to levy VAT on the PSO charge and the legislative basis for this instruction. [46370/14]

Departmental Investigations

Clare Daly

269. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Tipperary, if his Department has ever been contacted by An Garda Síochána and made a statement that they had found no evidence of wrongdoing or offence being committed. [45987/14]

Proposed Legislation

Clare Daly

321. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality regarding her plans to introduce new legislation regarding the criminalisation of the purchase of sex, if she will take account of concerns and views of those working in the industry. [45986/14]

Medicinal Products Availability

Clare Daly

417. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the progress in ensuring that MS sufferers who require the Fampyra drug are able to avail of it under the drug treatment scheme. [46188/14]

Education and Training Boards Expenditure

Clare Daly

472. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reduction in expenditure in the 16 educational training boards; and if she would estimate the savings achieved since July 2013. [46256/14]

Teaching Contracts

Clare Daly

473. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working in the 16 education and training boards who are on contracts of indefinite duration; and the number in permanent positions. [46257/14]

Teaching Contracts

Clare Daly

474. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working in the 16 education and training boards who have been appointed to permanent positions since July 2013. [46258/14]

Teaching Contracts

Clare Daly

475. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers in part-time work in the 16 education and training boards. [46259/14]

Departmental Funding

Clare Daly

476. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department makes to the running of Education and Training Boards Ireland for 2013. [46260/14]

Departmental Funding

Clare Daly

477. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of the Irish Vocational Education Association in the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive. [46261/14]

State Examinations

Clare Daly

478. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the logic in reforming the junior certificate to accommodate the 40% assessment carried out in schools by subject teachers and the potential pressure on teachers to mark their own student work; her views that logic needs to underpin the change rather than change for the sake of change. [46262/14]

Departmental Funding

Clare Daly

479. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals in the years 2008 to 2013, inclusive. [46263/14]

State Examinations

Clare Daly

480. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to an opinion poll (details supplied) on 19 May 2014 that reveals parents have overwhelmingly backed teachers in their opposition to proposals to have them marking their own pupils' junior certificate papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46264/14]

Pyrite Issues

Clare Daly

502. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the surveys being conducted as part of the pyrite remediation process in the identification of other structural defects and breaches of building regulations or standards, separate to pyrite; the remedy open to homeowners to have those problems addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45953/14]

Building Regulations Application

Clare Daly

503. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that regulations are in place to deal with developers who have consistently breached fire safety regulations in the construction of dwellings in different locations, requiring evacuation in some instances and costly remediation works which have not been completed, and yet are being granted permission to develop new schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45954/14]

Driver Licences

Clare Daly

592. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reasons for the establishment of the national driving licence service; and the reason the conversion to plastic driver's licences cannot be dealt with online or by post. [45989/14]

English Language Training Organisations

Clare Daly

43. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her plans to regulate the education of non-EU nationals in the Irish education system, as it appears to be run by a system of agents who are largely non-resident and therefore exempt from VAT, and who entice students into our education system with unregulated payments and commission leading to poor outcomes for students and colleges. [45095/14]

Prison Visiting Regulations

Clare Daly

110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 70 of 20 November 2014, whether her understanding is that the term "spiritual visits" is synonymous with the provision of a regular chaplaincy service within the prison system or refers to spiritual comfort visits from priests, pastors and those who officiate in other religions who come from outside the prison, for example, from a prisoner's home area; which spiritual visits have hitherto been allowed surplus to the regular visits to which prisoners are entitled; and if there has been a policy change to discontinue such spiritual comfort visits per above citing overcrowding in prisons. [45655/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Clare Daly

14. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regarding prisoner issues in Northern Ireland and their implications for the peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44957/14]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

21. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the regular presence of US refuelling tankers at Shannon, such as the Hercules No. 2311 present on 29 October 2014; if he will confirm whether these tankers have been connected to the mid-air refuelling of any US military aircraft in Irish airspace; if his attention has been further drawn to the existence of over-flights by US military aircraft close to the times that these refuelling tankers took off or landed at Shannon airport; if this indicates that some or all of these aircraft were involved in military operations while they were on Irish territory or in Irish airspace; the way this relates to US assurances that these aircraft are not on military operations and not armed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44956/14]

Commercial Rates

Clare Daly

63. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will bring in an equitable valuation system for early childhood care and education services which recognise the educational nature of the service provision and the importance of providing space for children to play and learn. [45511/14]

Commercial Rates

Clare Daly

64. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will ensure that early childhood care and education services are included and named under schedule 4 of the Valuation Act as relevant property not rateable and that the rateable valuation is only based on commercial activity. [45512/14]

Garda Disciplinary Proceedings

Clare Daly

80. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) was one of the gardaí named in the GSOC report sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration on whether criminal proceedings be issued against named members of the Garda who were involved with a drug dealer. [45440/14]

Professional Fees

Clare Daly

88. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the nursing and midwifery professions are not unfairly hit with a yearly retention fee of €150, in view of the fact that other medical professions have their fees capped at €100 [45406/14]

Maternity Services

Clare Daly

97. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No.110 of 11 November 2014 the reason the impression was provided in the response that all members of the NSCHB were part of the consultation process and agreed to the signing of the memorandum of understanding; and if he will correct this impression as serious concerns had been articulated by AIMs Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45508/14]

Water Charges Administration

Clare Daly

152. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views regarding the number of Irish Water registration packs that were returned with personal public service numbers included. [45496/14]

Employment Rights

Clare Daly

109. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he will take to introduce mechanisms to improve compliance by subcontractors with legal wage rates. [44143/14]

Employment Rights

Clare Daly

123. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on whether sanctions imposed on employers found guilty of breaching the law in terms of workers' wages and conditions are sufficiently robust; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44142/14]

Jobseeker's Allowance Applications

Clare Daly

179. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo who was informed on 29 September 2014 that she qualified for jobseeker’s transition allowance and that her first payment would be paid on 2 October 2014 at Sligo post office; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that to date no payment has been provided at Sligo post office; the reason payments are not being made to this person; when payments will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45245/14]

Mortgage Interest Rates

Clare Daly

203. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will introduce legislation capping mortgage interest at 2% above the European Central Bank rate in order to alleviate the extreme pressures on homeowners. [45225/14]

Army Training Programme

Clare Daly

255. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the reason the Defence Forces spent 8,000 dollars on a terrorism course with the US army in Germany for a member of the Defence Forces; if other similar courses have been funded by the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44988/14]

UN Missions

Clare Daly

256. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence if he will confirm that the seven Irish members of the Defence Forces currently participating in the IASF mission in Afghanistan, will be withdrawn on or before 31 December 2014; if no replacement will take place; and in the event that he cannot provide this confirmation, whether he will provide a commitment that Dáil Éireann will be allowed to discuss this matter. [44989/14]

Garda Complaints Procedures

Clare Daly

269. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will investigate the incident on 16 November 2014 outside the Mansion House, Dublin where a woman was very forcibly pushed to the ground by members of An Garda Síochána; the actions she will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44980/14]

Garda Disciplinary Proceedings

Clare Daly

282. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the fact that in the period 1999 to 2013, inclusive, over €59 million was paid out by the State as a result of civil actions against the Garda, the amount of this money that was paid out by the members of the Garda concerned in these cases; the number of these members who have been disciplined; the number of these members who are still serving in the force; if any one of these gardaí lost entitlement to their Garda pension; and if so, the number of same. [45150/14]

Garda Deployment

Clare Daly

286. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on whether it is appropriate to send large representative of Garda units, including dog units, mounted unit, aerial support unit and others along with the Dublin Fire Brigade and the Road Safety Authority into schools at a time when Garda resources are stretched on the ground and at a time when there were no other Garda resources working in the geographic area; and if there is a code of practice in that regard. [45220/14]

Stardust Fire

Clare Daly

288. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality regarding the Foy report of 2004, whereby consent was only given for the report to be used for further Garda and forensic investigations, if she will have this report removed from her Department's website. [45226/14]

Maternity Services Provision

Clare Daly

365. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update regarding improvements in the access for women who were clients of a person (details supplied) to alternative home birthing arrangements, in view of the delay in having these matters processed; and in that context, if he will intervene in order to request that the person's indemnity would be temporarily reinstated until after the Health Service Executive investigations, as had previously been the case in other instances especially in view of the detrimental impact that the removal of this indemnity has had on the over 20 women directly involved [45186/14]

Tax Code

Clare Daly

14. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to amend the situation of taxation on rental income in cases where homeowners acquired property as their primary residence and had to leave it as they were no longer able to afford to pay the mortgage, or their family circumstances changed, leaving them unable to dispose of the property as a result of it being in substantial negative equity and choosing to rent it instead, the rental income being considerably less than the mortgage repayments and the injustice of them then having to pay a heavy taxation bill on this loss; and if he will address this matter. [44573/14]

Defence Forces Retirement Scheme

Clare Daly

65. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who were retired in the interests of the service by the President of Ireland exercising his powers under section 47(2) Defence Act 1954 and Defence Force Regulation A 15, from the inception of the legislation until it was amended in 1985. [44581/14]

Prison Regulations

Clare Daly

70. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been a policy change to discontinue the practice of spiritual comfort visits in prisons as a result of overcrowding. [44575/14]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 484 of 21 October 2014 if he will correct his response that Hercules C130 registration number 16/8073 was not present at Shannon Airport on 30 September 2014 or 1 October 2014 contrary to photographic evidence and records that it was; the reason this inaccurate response was given; his views that it was not involved in any military operations or exercise, in view of the fact that it was operated by a reserve marine corps squadron called the rangers who have been involved in many operations in Libya and Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44645/14]

Local Authority Functions

Clare Daly

149. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been drawn to his attention that it is a reserved function of the elected members to adopt a council budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44747/14]

Local Authority Finances

Clare Daly

150. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he received a request from the cathaoirleach and members of Sligo County Council to meet with the elected representatives to discuss the council's serious financial situation; the purpose of his visit to the offices of Sligo County Council on 13 November; if he met with the cathaoirleach or other elected councillors when he visited the council offices; the person he met when he visited the council offices; the outcome of the meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44748/14]

Commemorative Events

Clare Daly

171. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the cost of the 1916 commemoration video; the person who approved its content; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44620/14]

Child and Family Agency Remit

Clare Daly

18. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on bringing child and adolescent mental health services within the new Child and Family Agency in order to ensure a better and more co-ordinated response to children with mental health difficulties. [43928/14]

Child Protection Services

Clare Daly

27. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the submission to the Joint Committee on Health and Children by a person (details supplied), particularly where they strongly urge that rather than adding to the already enormous pressure on the Child and Family Agency, satellite type services, embedded within existing community centres like schools and addiction services centres, are preferable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43926/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Clare Daly

31. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 4 November 2014 regarding the 110 adoptions from Ethiopia and the 201 adoptions from Russia that have taken place here since the Adoption Act was enacted in 2010 the systems that his Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and any other agencies involved put in place to ensure that only reputable non-domestic adoption agencies are engaged in the adoption process, to avoid situations whereby persons engage in unethical practices such as applying hidden fees, lying about the condition of the child, or lying about whether or not the child involved truly is an orphan. [43925/14]

Adoption Legislation

Clare Daly

96. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the delay in the publication of the adoption and tracing legislation; and his proposals in relation to same. [43990/14]

Child Care Law Reporting Project

Clare Daly

97. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his view on trends emerging from the two interim reports of the Child Care Law Reporting Project, particularly where it states that single parents, parents with a disability, and parents of non-Irish background are over-represented in family law cases. [43991/14]

Services for People with Disabilities

Clare Daly

141. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the policy of the north Dublin paediatrics occupational therapy services in relation to children with long-term disabilities and the lack of access to a multi-disciplinary team for these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44530/14]

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Reports

Clare Daly

100. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on progress with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission report following the investigation into the handling of a case (details supplied), with particular reference to the recommendation that criminal proceedings be initiated against named gardaí. [43791/14]

Garda Misconduct Allegations

Clare Daly

121. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on the work of the review panel into cases of allegations of Garda malpractice; and if she will take on board the points made by citizens and opposition Deputies that this process must become more transparent and involve a facility for persons to make their case orally. [41141/14]

Garda Inspectorate Reports

Clare Daly

259. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the Garda Inspectorate's report into serious crime has not been published; if she will give a commitment that it will be published in advance of the appointment of the new Garda Commissioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41140/14]

Home-School Liaison Scheme

Clare Daly

325. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the courses that were run by the home-school community liaison co-ordinators for parents during the academic school year 2013-2014; and the number of parents who attended each course. [43834/14]

Child Care Proceedings

Clare Daly

332. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the information contained in the first interim report of the Child Care Law Reporting Project if his Department collects data or has information on children who have been taken into the care of the Health Service Executive as a result of their parent being transferred directly from a direct provision centre to a psychiatric unit. [44025/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Clare Daly

333. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children adopted from Russia and Ethiopia who have been placed in the care of the Health Service Executive since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44026/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Clare Daly

334. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of adoptions that have taken place here where the child originated from Hague-compliant states; if he will provide a list of the countries involved; and the number of adoptions per each of these countries that have taken place since the Adoption Act came into force in 2010. [44027/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Clare Daly

335. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children adopted into Ireland from the United States of America since November 2010; and if he will provide a breakdown of the figures to show the number of children who were adopted from each of the federal states. [44028/14]

Foreign Adoptions

Clare Daly

336. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 4 November 2014, his views on the response where it states that 320 inter-country adoptions involving non-Hague signatories have taken place here since the Adoption Act of 2010 was enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44029/14]

Child Detention Centres

Clare Daly

337. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the planned opening date of the Oberstown-Trinity House complex for under-18 year olds. [44030/14]

Primary Care Centre Provision

Clare Daly

386. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health his views on the axing of the primary care facility at the student clinic at the Dublin Dental University Hospital; his plans to restore this service and when. [44011/14]

Services for People with Disabilities

Clare Daly

405. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 432 of 21 October 2014, if he will take action in respect of new employees and, specifically, those who worked for a service (details supplied) for a number of years; the reason wages are paid on a lower point of the pay scale while claiming moneys from the Health Service Executive at the top end of agreed pay scales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44135/14]

Climate Change Policy

Clare Daly

509. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his view on proposals to amend the climate Bill (details supplied). [44148/14]

Property Tax Yield

Clare Daly

511. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the provisional local property tax allocation to each local authority for 2015; if he will further provide in tabular form the allocations of general purpose grants from the local Government fund to each local authority, including town and borough councils, for 2014; the net increase/decrease in funding allocated to each local authority for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44175/14]

Defence Forces Deployment

Clare Daly

19. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the number of occasions that members of the Defence Forces have been called to undertake aid to the civil power ATCP duties at Dublin, Cork, and Shannon airports, respectively, in the past 12 months; and the way these operations are funded. [41264/14]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

22. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the steps taken by the Irish Defence Forces, and in particular the Air Corps in monitoring US military aircraft while on Irish territory and in Irish air space to ensure that they comply with Irish neutrality regulations. [41266/14]

Overseas Missions

Clare Daly

28. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence his plans to withdraw the seven Irish soldiers currently stationed in Afghanistan on 31 December 2014, as there will be mainly only US troops left on that date making the Irish soldiers much more vulnerable as the Taliban insurgents will seek to overthrow the western supported government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41262/14]

Defence Forces Medicinal Products

Clare Daly

29. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence noting the US Department of Defence Africa command document published in September 2011 stating that Lariam should be the drug of last resort after Malarone and Doxycycline, and other international moves away from usage of this drug, the reason for the Irish Defence Forces' continued use of same. [41263/14]

Defence Forces Medicinal Products

Clare Daly

94. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence to set out the process used for selecting anti-malaria drugs for use in the Defence Forces and the precise reason Lariam was selected despite the obvious faults in the drug with regard to the dangers of increased risk of suicide for users. [43330/14]

Overseas Missions

Clare Daly

95. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence to outline his views regarding the operation of Defence Forces overseas missions in the context of being involved in missions that have run for decades and failed to deliver peace and have in fact enabled the conflict participants to avoid making peace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43331/14]

Animal Welfare Bodies

Clare Daly

29. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the operation of the DSPCA, which has received substantial funds from his Department in order to carry out important animal welfare functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42806/14]

Animal Welfare

Clare Daly

34. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the amount of prosecutions for animal cruelty under the Animal Health and Welfare Act; his plans to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42807/14]

Local Authority Staff Data

Clare Daly

165. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been brought to his attention that over the past five years the number of outdoor general operatives on the staff of Sligo County Council has been reduced by 28; the number of drivers and plant operators has been reduced by five; the number of craftworkers reduced by 11; the number of handymen reduced by seven and the number of gangers reduced by two; the proposal with his Department to approve the appointment of personnel to replace these vacant posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43486/14]

Local Authority Staff Data

Clare Daly

166. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Sligo County Council is designated as a level 5 local authority and the range of senior management staff recommended at each level is outlined in the Workforce Planning in the Local Government Sector document prepared by his Department's working group in September 2012; if it has been brought to his attention that the recommended number of senior engineers, senior executive officers and analogous posts for Sligo County Council is nine and if it has been further brought to his attention that council management proposes to exceed the limit to 12; if it has been brought to his attention that the recommended number of administrative officers and analogous posts for Sligo County Council is between seven and ten and that council management proposes to exceed the limit to 18; that the recommended number of senior executive engineers and analogous posts for Sligo County Council is between seven and ten and that council management proposes to exceed the limit to 17; if it is the intention of his Department to set aside the limits outlined in the Workforce Planning in the Local Government Sector document and to approve the proposed number of senior management posts in Sligo County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43487/14]

Local Authority Finances

Clare Daly

167. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been drawn to his attention that Sligo County Council had a deficit of €2,815,649 on its revenue account for the year ending 31 December 2008, a deficit of €3,232,961 for the year ending 31 December 2009, a deficit of €2,463,505 for the year ending 31 December 2010, a deficit of €2,973,000 for the year ending 31 December 2011 and a deficit of €2,455,000 for the year ending 31 December 2012; and that according to the most recent auditor's report released in November 2013, the council's total revenue-capital debt has grown to €94 million; if it has been drawn to his attention that according to the most recent annual financial statement dated 1 July 2014, the council incurred a further deficit of €1.9 million for the year ending 31 December 2013; if it has been further brought to his attention that despite the additional €1 million funding provided by his Department to the county council this year, that concern is now growing that the council will incur a further deficit in the current year; if it is the intention of his Department to provide the €15 million bailout sought by the chief executive of the council on 17 of February 2014 in order to address the council's accumulated and growing debt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43488/14]

Local Authority Staff

Clare Daly

168. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been brought to his attention that eight full-time staff in Sligo County Council engaged in the Cranmore regeneration project are 100% externally funded by his Department; if he will provide in tabular form the number of local authority staff who are 100% externally funded by his Department in each regeneration project in the State; if he will also provide in tabular form the Departmental funding provided to each regeneration project to cover the cost of the payment of the staff in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43489/14]

Maternity Services

Clare Daly

110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health in view of his undertaking to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that there will be a consultation process as part of an overall national review of maternity services here, with special reference to best evidence international models, the reason he is permitting the office of nursing and midwifery services in the Health Service Executive to produce a second version of its memorandum of understanding, with extremely restrictive criteria governing the practice of the few available self-employed midwives, limiting options for women seeking a home birth, and unconnected with best evidence international models, before the overall review of all aspects of the maternity services is even undertaken [42781/14]

Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme

Clare Daly

145. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to set out his views regarding his proposed redress scheme for the survivors of symphysiotomy. [42795/14]

Defence Forces Properties

Clare Daly

283. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 35 of 18 September 2014 of the failure of Kildare County Council to assist in addressing the accommodation needs of former Defence Forces personnel and their families currently residing in the Curragh Camp, if he will meet the families in order to explore a solution. [43094/14]

Direct Provision System

Clare Daly

290. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in relation to the direct provision of care for asylum seekers and refugees, her views that it is appropriate that the companies who have benefited in the tendering process have decided to register outside the State; and her plans for same. [42844/14]

Direct Provision Expenditure

Clare Daly

291. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of money spent on the direct provision system over the past eight years; and the companies to whom those payments were made. [42845/14]

Children in Care

Clare Daly

292. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on whether the Garda has adequate resources to locate the large numbers of children who have disappeared from State care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42846/14]

Children in Care

Clare Daly

322. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views in relation to the number of children who have disappeared from State care over the past five years; the numbers who were subsequently found, and the age profile of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42847/14]

Foster Care Expenditure

Clare Daly

323. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of foster care services per annum; the way this service is administered and if he has analysed regional discrepancies in the number of children placed in foster care. [42848/14]

Midwifery Services

Clare Daly

336. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the Office for Nursing and Midwifery Services in the Health Service Executive has been permitted to set up a clinical governance group on home births, which despite its rhetoric on stakeholders, has failed to include a single self-employed community midwife on the committee. [42808/14]

Rail Network

Clare Daly

573. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he will take to improve the efficiency of Irish Rail, particularly in the context of the increase in fares. [43104/14]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Clare Daly

19. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he will take to tackle low pay in the public service. [42003/14]

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Clare Daly

33. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the areas of recruitment planned for the public service; the grades at which recruitment will take place; and if the local authorities will be included. [42004/14]

NAMA Staff Pensions Provision

Clare Daly

36. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the reason a defined benefit pension scheme was established for staff in the National Asset Management Agency, in view of the undermining of such schemes in other places of employment and the failure to assist workers in these companies. [41719/14]

Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation

Clare Daly

38. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance his views in relation to the promised changes to the statutory instruments for the pyrite exemption from the local property tax, in the context of cases (details supplied), and his proposals to resolve this clear anomaly. [41718/14]

Seized Property

Clare Daly

102. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied that the regulations in operation in An Garda Síochána are adequate in their provisions, operation and supervision to secure that property seized by members of An Garda Síochána in the alleged investigation of a crime is returned to its owner. [42291/14]

Seized Property

Clare Daly

103. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied that property seized from a scene of a crime, which may in no way be related to the actual crime, is being held and not being accounted for by the Garda. [42292/14]

Seized Property

Clare Daly

104. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is satisfied that all property seized from an alleged scene of a crime may be accounted for by the Garda. [42293/14]

Garda Data

Clare Daly

108. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí who went on sick leave and the number of occurrences and total number of days lost through sick absences on the part of members of the Garda Síochána in 2013 and to the end of August 2014. [42355/14]

Garda Data

Clare Daly

109. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of occurrences and total number of days lost through self-certified sick absences on the part of members of An Garda Síochána in 2013 and to the end of August 2014. [42356/14]

Garda Data

Clare Daly

110. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of days self-certified sick leave allowed to a member of An Garda Síochána per year; and the regulations which were applied to the number of such days as a result of reform of the sick leave arrangements in the public service in 2014. [42357/14]