Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Voluntary Sector Funding

Joe Higgins

123. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the funding for Volunteer Ireland and the Fingal volunteer centre for 2014; and if he will give an assurance that there will be no reduction in the budget. [11020/14]

Taxi Licences Renewals

Joe Higgins

196. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to revoke lapsed taxi plates; if there will be provision for drivers to maintain lapsed plates following examination of their individual circumstances. [11033/14]

Seanad Elections

Joe Higgins

290. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total number of graduates registered, the number of new graduates registered; and the number of graduates removed, from the Seanad Éireann electoral registers for the National University of Ireland and University of Dublin that are due to come into effect on 1 June 2014. [10900/14]

Mental Health Services Provision

Joe Higgins

456. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health his views on the ongoing delays regarding the opening of the psychiatric unit in Beaumont Hospital; and when same will open [10734/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Joe Higgins

87. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure resource teaching hours are maintained in respect of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [10084/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Joe Higgins

250. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be prioritised for speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. [10084/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Joe Higgins

264. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be prioritised for speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and paediatric services; and his views on the matter of speech and language services. [10192/14]

West-Link Toll Bridge

Joe Higgins

287. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide information on the way the fines for the M50 toll are calculated. [10242/14]

Ministerial Appointments

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has made any board appointments recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9025/14]

State Visits

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he has had with Japanese Government officials during his recent visit to Japan. [53717/13]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

13. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the US Vice President; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53718/13]

Mortgage Debt

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if he will devise a scheme to provide a solution to protect the home ownership of the 13,000 Irish Bank Resolution Corporation mortgage holders whose accounts are being offered for sale to venture capitalists; if he will prevent that sale. [8480/14]

Banking Sector

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his view on the future treatment of mortgage customers following the announcement by Ulster Bank to move its arrears support unit to Scotland, with the loss of 110 jobs here; and if he will report on any recent meetings with Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS, or Ulster Bank executives. [8274/14]

National Debt

Joe Higgins

15. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the total national debt in absolute figures and as a percentage of GDP for the years 2007 to 2013, inclusive; and the total interest paid in each of these years. [8276/14]

IBRC Mortgage Loan Book

Joe Higgins

38. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his views on passing on a write-down to mortgage customers with loans formerly with the Irish Nationwide Building Society rather than sell the loans on the international market. [8275/14]

Corporation Tax Regime

Joe Higgins

46. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his views on the research conducted by a person (details supplied) that indicates a 2.2% effective rate of corporation tax in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8483/14]

Inland Waterways Maintenance

Joe Higgins

145. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reasons for the early closure of the 14th lock on the Grand Canal near Sallins, County Kildare, by Waterways Ireland on 24 January 2014 in contravention of Marine Notice 5/2014; his views with reference to the inconvenience faced by a number of boat users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8670/14]

Departmental Bodies Board Remuneration

Joe Higgins

163. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the salaries paid to, and salary structures of, the members of the board of Uisce Éireann and the head of the transition office. [8667/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach when was the last time the Cabinet committee on mortgage arrears and credit availability met; and when it is scheduled to reconvene. [7497/14]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

9. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the last time the Cabinet committee on health met; and when it is scheduled to reconvene. [7496/14]

Official Engagements

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with Mr. Bill Clinton; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7495/14]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Joe Higgins

283. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the contradiction between the reply to the parliamentary question (details supplied) where it was indicated that the maximum point on the pay scale at which resource persons were employed by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board was point three. [8143/14]

Deportation Orders Data

Joe Higgins

557. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deportation orders that were issued in 2011, 2012 and 2013; if all deportation orders were issued to the last known address of the person subject to an order; and if not, the number that were not issued to the last known address in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. [7727/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Joe Higgins

14. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long delays in assessment and access in respect of speech and language therapy in Dublin 15; the measures he will take to resolve same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6797/14]

Speech and Language Therapy

Joe Higgins

52. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the measures he will take to ensure that a child (details supplied below) in Dublin 15 will receive immediate access to speech and language therapy in view of the fact that the application was first made in 2011. [6798/14]

Departmental Funding

Joe Higgins

11. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure the continued funding of Rape Crisis Network Ireland as scheduled for the end of March, in view of the essential specialist research and support it provides for rape crisis centres. [5327/14]

Departmental Funding

Joe Higgins

21. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will ensure that funding will be made available for Rape Crisis Network Ireland, which provides rape crisis centres with vital specialist research and support and whose closure is imminent due to the fact that its current funding is scheduled to be terminated on 31 March 2014. [5328/14]

Referendum Campaigns

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he plans to propose any referenda in 2014. [53722/13]

Property Tax Data

Joe Higgins

153. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of home owners who have paid the 2014 property tax in full; and the number who have agreed payment arrangements with the Revenue Commissioners. [6538/14]

Property Tax Data

Joe Higgins

154. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of home owners who have their property tax bills deducted without their consent from their wages, social welfare payments or other income. [6539/14]

Employment Rights

Joe Higgins

273. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will intervene in the dispute at a supermarket (details supplied) in County Limerick so the workers may secure all pay and redundancy payments and receive full assistance in gaining further employment. [6777/14]

Property Tax Administration

Joe Higgins

376. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way the local property tax will be set by local authorities; if it will be a function of the manager to propose a rate in the annual budget; and what power councillors will have. [6369/14]

Water Services Provision

Joe Higgins

390. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public funds that have been earmarked for the installation of household water meters. [6542/14]

Water Services Provision

Joe Higgins

391. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the public funds that have been earmarked for the institution of Uisce Éireann, excluding the installation of household water meters programme. [6543/14]

Child Abduction

Joe Higgins

437. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to a case of abduction of a child (details supplied); if he considers that the State has a responsibility to ensure that the mother's right to primary care of her child is upheld in view of the fact that the flight risk was communicated to the social worker in advance of the abduction; and the actions he or State bodies are taking to ensure this right is upheld. [6423/14]

Deportation Orders

Joe Higgins

129. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the deportation order for a person (details supplied) who supplied information to Irish Nationalisation and Immigration Service on 16 July 2013 that indicated they were not in the State a number of years prior to a deportation order being issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5910/14]

Deportation Orders

Joe Higgins

130. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the process of verification of deportation orders prior to them being issued; the process in place for revoking orders should information be supplied that indicates there was an error made in issuing an order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5911/14]

Deportation Orders Data

Joe Higgins

131. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deportation orders that were revoked by him in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; if he will provide information on the number of these that were due to deportation orders being issued to persons already outside the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5912/14]

Seanad Reform

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he intends to propose reforms to Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50126/13]

Irish Water Establishment

Joe Higgins

86. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the research paper written by Professor John Fitzgerald and Dr. Edgar Morgenroth for his Department in relation to the establishment of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5339/14]

Community Employment Schemes Data

Joe Higgins

331. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the action an employer may take at an organisation where community employment workers are employed (details supplied) if overtures are made to the CE workers by a representative of another organisation to switch their CE placement to that organisation. [5195/14]

Waterways Ireland Remit

Joe Higgins

367. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will support the proposal from Waterways Ireland to increase the cost of the annual mooring permit, houseboat permits, and the introduction of fixed penalty notices and District Court fines for those unable to pay; his views on the matter with particular reference to the impact on tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4902/14]

Electricity Transmission Network

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way the concerns of residents will be accommodated in the plans for the new EirGrid pylon network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4495/14]

Water Charges Exemptions

Joe Higgins

118. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will support the granting of a generous free allowance of water in the water charging scheme for those with Crohn's disease and other conditions that require the use of additional water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4351/14]

Rental Accommodation Scheme Expenditure

Joe Higgins

135. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount paid nationally by local authorities to private landlords under the rental accommodation scheme; and if he will list the amounts by each local authority area. [4516/14]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has recently met Dr. Richard Haass; and if he will report on the matter. [45917/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

21. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has discussed with the Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, the outcomes of discussions with Dr. Richard Haass. [2211/14]

Job Initiatives

Joe Higgins

111. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is concerned that a company (details supplied) has advertised for 28 positions through the JobBridge scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3589/14]

National Internship Scheme Administration

Joe Higgins

137. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider prohibiting the use of the JobBridge scheme for posts aimed at PhD holders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3590/14]

Youthreach Programme Staff

Joe Higgins

260. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used by the Education Training Boards in the county of Dublin, city of Dublin, Limerick, Clare and city of Cork for deciding the starting incremental point for a resource person on the resource person's salary scale. [3800/14]