Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

School Transport Availability

Damien English

306. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made in relation to a school bus route extension (details supplied); the reason for the delay in this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46346/13]

Traffic Fines

Damien English

788. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to the issuing of fixed charge notices pertaining to motoring offences, if he is satisfied that the use of standard post ensures effective delivery of such notices; if he or his Department have plans for the development of a cost effective system of recorded delivery for such notices; if there has been any communication between An Garda Síochána and An Post regarding the introduction of such a system of recorded delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46392/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

1014. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 15 October 2013, regarding his Department's participation in the high level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products and where his Department outlined to the group from an intellectual property perspective the potential issues arising in relation to domestic and international law, the issues that he referred to in his response; if they are significant in terms of framing the proposed legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46446/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

230. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 15 October 2013, regarding his Department's participation in the high-level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products and where his Department outlined to the group from an intellectual property perspective the potential issues arising in relation to domestic and international law, the issues that he referred to in his response; if they are significant in terms of framing the proposed legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45559/13]

Haddington Road Agreement Implementation

Damien English

47. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills in respect of the stance taken by the ASTI regarding the Haddington Road agreement, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that secondary school teachers who are not members of any trade union will be deemed or classified by his Department as members of the ASTI trade union; that such teachers without union membership have been advised by his Department that if they do not wish to be treated or classified as such that they should join the TUI rather than maintain their position as non-union members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43055/13]

Broadband Services Provision

Damien English

75. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of broadband services at a primary school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43483/13]

Intellectual Property Protocol

Damien English

102. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to a study published on 1 October 2013 by the European Patents Office and the Office for the Harmonisation of the Internal Market that 35% of all European economic activity arises from intellectual property rights; if he will provide a comparable percentage figure for Ireland; the steps he is taking to ensure that the Government protects the intellectual property rights of companies trading in the Irish market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43056/13]

EU-US Trade

Damien English

103. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the current state of negotiations of a transatlantic trade and investment partnership between the EU and US; his views on whether the partnership should include clauses empowering EU and US based companies to take private legal cases directly against Governments at international tribunals where they find that national laws in areas such as public health, environmental and social protection infringe their right to business; the implications of such a clause for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43057/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

104. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his Department is participating in the high level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products; if his officials will highlight the extent of illicit trade in the tobacco sector and the negative impact it is having on jobs in the retail sector; if he will summarise the viewpoints expressed by his Department to the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43058/13]

Broadband Services Provision

Damien English

197. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the progress of the implementation of the national broadband plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43300/13]

Broadband Services Speeds

Damien English

198. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way persons living in rural areas of County Meath will benefit from high speed broadband under the national broadband plan; the areas in County Meath by electoral division that will benefit under this scheme; and the timeframe for the delivery of high speed broadband for each of these areas. [43301/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

387. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health if his Department and the Revenue Commissioners are participating in the high-level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products; the number of meetings his Department and the Revenue Commissioners have been represented at to date; if he or his officials will highlight the extent of illicit trade in the tobacco sector and the negative impact it is having on jobs in the retail sector; if he will summarise the viewpoints expressed by his Department and the Revenue Commissioners to the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43059/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

396. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health if he will set out the stages, indicative dates, any other associated time or submission targets or deadlines by which his Department will conduct the regulatory impact analysis on proposed legislation on plain packaging of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43060/13]

Motor Tax Exemptions

Damien English

148. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will examine the potential to bring into effect a concessionary rate of road tax for compact tractors, those being under 50 bhp, as it would be beneficial to encourage the purchase and use of such vehicles on health and safety grounds for the agricultural and ground care sectors, especially as such vehicles when sold are required to be fitted with safety equipment that is not necessary on other vehicles, such as quad bikes, used for similar purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42562/13]

Financial Services Regulation

Damien English

97. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Finance his plans to liaise with the Australian authorities in order to facilitate the acquisition of mortgages from financial institutions here by Irish citizens who are currently residing in Australia, and who are prevented from doing so under the Australian Corporation Act that was introduced in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41242/13]

Departmental Staff Data

Damien English

408. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of personnel in her Department that work on medical assessments; the number of medical assessors currently employed by her Department; the number of these who, in addition to being qualified doctors, have attained specialist medical qualifications; if she will list such specialist medical qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41100/13]

Invalidity Pension Application Numbers

Damien English

409. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of invalidity pension applications made to her Department for each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and to date in 2013; the number of refusals for each of theses years; if she will provide the information in tabular readable form. [41101/13]

Family Income Supplement Appeals

Damien English

100. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on an appeal for family income supplement in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath in relation to a 2012 claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38933/13]

FÁS Training Programmes Data

Damien English

246. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of FÁS training courses currently in each of the north east counties, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan; the title and short description of each training course in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37831/13]

FÁS Training Programmes Data

Damien English

247. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that the number and type of training courses available in County Meath is sufficient to cater for the population base there; his plans to provide additional FÁS training courses in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37832/13]