Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Youthreach Programme Staff

Joe Higgins

261. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of newly appointed resource persons who were employed in Youthreach centres of education, between 2005 and to date in 2014, by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board; the number of newly appointed resource persons who started on point one of the resource persons' incremental scale during the period; the number of newly appointed resource persons who started above point one of the resource persons' incremental scale during the period; and the highest increment that was awarded to a newly appointed resource person, during the period, by the Limerick and Clare Education Training Board. [3801/14]

Youthreach Programme Staff

Joe Higgins

262. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of newly appointed resource persons that were employed in Youthreach centres of education, between 2005 and to date in 2014, by the City of Cork Education and Training Board; the number of newly appointed resource persons who started on point one of the resource persons' incremental scale during the period; the number of newly appointed resource persons who started above point one of the resource persons' incremental scale during the period; and the highest increment awarded to a newly appointed resource person, during the period, by the City of Cork Education Training Board. [3802/14]

Higher Education Institutions

Joe Higgins

273. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information on the reasons the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology is not participating in the current higher education restructuring discussions with the Tallaght and Blanchardstown institutes of technology and DIT; and his views on the future of the Dún Laoghaire institute in the overall scheme of higher education restructuring. [3921/14]

Higher Education Institutions

Joe Higgins

274. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will guarantee that the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology will not be privatised; his views on private funding interests for the institute. [3922/14]

Higher Education Institutions

Joe Higgins

275. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the staff pension fund in the Dún Laoghaire institute and give a guarantee that the staff pension fund is safe. [3923/14]

Youth Unemployment Measures

Joe Higgins

373. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans in respect of youth unemployment following the British-Irish Council. [53720/13]

Departmental Investigations

Joe Higgins

174. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will establish an inquiry into the events surrounding the death of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3274/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Joe Higgins

63. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision not to allow schools that have already initiated a rental book scheme to gain access to the book rental grant, especially as far as newly established schools are concerned, such as a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3009/14]

Programme for Government Implementation

Joe Higgins

2. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of the Programme for Government. [45915/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

7. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has recently met representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive. [45916/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

17. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent North-South meeting in Armagh. [53719/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

18. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his visit to the Messines and the Menin Gate in December; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53721/13]

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision

Joe Higgins

232. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has estimated the potential drop out rate by apprentices from courses they have undertaken with FÁS/SOLAS arising from the introduction of fees for those courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2333/14]

Job Assist Scheme

Joe Higgins

373. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that have taken part in the JobBridge scheme in Fingal, South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and Dublin City Council areas. [2766/14]

Youth Guarantee

Joe Higgins

374. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount she will invest in the youth guarantee in 2014 and 2015. [2767/14]

Irish Water Expenditure

Joe Higgins

426. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reveal the names of the consultants that Irish Water used in 2013; and if he will provide a breakdown of the fees each of them received. [2303/14]

Ministerial Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on his meetings in 2013 with representatives and lobbyists from the financial services industry, the tobacco industry, the property industry and any other industry representative groups. [1756/14]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

38. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the representations he has made to the Israeli and Egyptian authorities to lift the blockade on Gaza following the severe flooding in northern Gaza. [55313/13]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

39. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the assistance he is giving to the people of Gaza following the recent severe flooding in northern Gaza. [55314/13]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Joe Higgins

198. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 43 of 4 December 2013 if he will instruct the city of Dublin and county of Dublin education and training boards to provide the information sought. [55478/13]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Joe Higgins

209. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will intervene in order that institutes of technology do not levy the student charge of approximately €833 on apprentices undertaking a ten week course in the institutes. [55548/13]

Back to Education Allowance Eligibility

Joe Higgins

344. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the back to education allowance scheme to those students undertaking the professional masters in education programme in Dublin City University. [55335/13]

Social Partnership Meetings

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he has met any of the social partners since the July recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40869/13]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Joe Higgins

216. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 43 of 4 December 2013, if he will instruct the City of Dublin and County of Dublin Education and Training Boards to provide the information sought. [53973/13]

Aquaculture Licences

Joe Higgins

486. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a company (details supplied) in County Galway is operating with a current proper licence for fish farming in Cill Chiaráin harbour, Connemara, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53948/13]

Private Rented Accommodation Standards

Joe Higgins

131. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of tenants of local authorities currently residing in one room bedsits which have been in violation of the Housing Regulations of 2008 since 1 February 2013; and the amount of funds being allocated to the renovation of these properties. [53400/13]

Building Regulations Compliance

Joe Higgins

132. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of enforcement orders intended to achieve compliance with the building regulations fire safety issued by fire safety authorities against non-compliant builders and developers since he became Minister. [53419/13]

Pyrite Remediation Programme Issues

Joe Higgins

133. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he proposes to adopt to recover the €10,000,000 allocated in the capital budget for remedial works to houses suffering major damage caused by pyrite from the quarry and construction industry and the HomeBond organisation. [53420/13]

Pyrite Remediation Programme Issues

Joe Higgins

134. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm if the HomeBond technical staff that inspected homes in the Dublin West constituency (details supplied) and incorrectly found that structural damage was not due to pyrite will not be involved in auditing building condition assessments under IS398-1. [53421/13]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

32. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent Amnesty International report on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that outlines the impact of the Israeli blockade on the health, sanitation and power supply of the people of Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53269/13]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

33. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the representations that he has made to the Israeli authorities regarding the blockade on Gaza. [53270/13]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

34. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the representations that he has made to the Egyptian authorities regarding the closing of crossings from Egypt to Gaza. [53271/13]

Middle East Issues

Joe Higgins

35. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether the Israeli blockade of Gaza amounts to collective punishment. [53272/13]

Government-Church Dialogue

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on any recent meetings he has held with religious leaders. [40868/13]

Health Services Provision

Joe Higgins

488. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be given access to a neural psychologist, behavioural therapist and occupational therapist in the public health system and receive necessary treatment. [52684/13]

Education and Training Boards Staff

Joe Higgins

43. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of newly appointed resource persons employed in Youthreach Centres of Education since 2005 to date by the City of Dublin ETB; the number of these newly appointed resource persons during this period who started on point 1 of the resource persons incremental scale; the number of newly appointed resource persons during this period who started above point 1 of the resource persons incremental scale; and the highest increment awarded to a newly appointed resource person during this period by the City of Dublin ETB. [51980/13]

Discussions with European Leaders

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the meetings he had with other Heads of State since the adjournment of Dáil Éireann in July. [39139/13]

Discussions with European Leaders

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings he had with other European leaders since the adjournment of Dáil Éireann in July. [39140/13]

Industrial Disputes

Joe Higgins

110. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the industrial action being taken by secondary school teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42510/13]

Industrial Disputes

Joe Higgins

124. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met, or is planning to meet, representatives of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland. [42511/13]

National Lottery Licence Sale

Joe Higgins

277. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on allegations of tax avoidance by a company (details supplied) which has been awarded the joint operation of the national lottery as covered recently in the British Press. [50393/13]

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Joe Higgins

364. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will reconsider the requirements contained in the new form issued by her Department to allow those who are unemployed on certain days to claim jobseeker's benefit by indicating the days which they were not at work in view of the fact that it is causing difficulties for certain categories of workers (details supplied). [50395/13]

Animal Welfare

Joe Higgins

541. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reconsider signing into law regulations to be made under sections 16 and 17 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 allowing for tail docking and dew claw removal of dogs and that they may be performed by non-registered persons, namely, persons other than registered veterinary practitioners, using no anaesthesia or pain relief as per representations that have been made to his office by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dogs Trust in Ireland. [50394/13]

Health Services Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

614. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 580 of 1 October 2013 the reason medical students on placement in the hospitals for the years 2009 to 2011, inclusive, were not paid; the reason this payment has still not been received, for example, by third level biomedical students in DIT; and the action he or the Health Service Executive is taking to ensure that the payments are passed on to students. [50396/13]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has any plans to use the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49780/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on EU affairs has met since the summer recess. [45920/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on Irish and Gaeltacht has met since the summer recess. [45921/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

254. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will restore the €10,243.09 withheld from a person's (details supplied) redundancy payment on the basis that his Department claims that the person was overpaid by this amount over an 11 year period between 2003 and 2013 through no fault of their own; if he will instruct his Department to make available the basis of their calculations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49447/13]

Political Reform

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach his plans and the timeframe to proceed with Dáil reform. [40870/13]

National Internship Scheme Data

Joe Higgins

214. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that contractors receiving funds from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to install water meters across the State ostensibly so that they can employ people to install said meters can simultaneously obtain workers on the JobBridge scheme funded by the Department of Social Protection leading to a situation where contractors can retain more profit from the funds that they receive from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. [48187/13]