Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Local Government Reform

Lucinda Creighton

152. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Local Government Bill 2013 addresses all of the concerns raised by the Council of Europe in its criticism of Ireland’s local democracy; the specific changes that were made to the Local Government Bill 2013 arising from the criticism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47552/13]

Property Taxation Yield

Lucinda Creighton

153. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No.175 of 24 October 2013, when he decided that it has been necessary to defer defining a certain proportion of the proceeds of the local property tax to be retained in each local authority until 2015 rather than 2014 as initially promised; if this decision was a collective Government decision; if he will confirm the proportion of the proceeds of the local property tax that will be retained in each local authority in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47553/13]

Irish Water Establishment

Lucinda Creighton

154. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 24 October 2013, the changes that occurred relating to the establishment of Irish Water presenting local government with significant organisational and financial challenges that had not previously been envisaged; the date on which he became aware of these additional financial challenges and the additional costs associated with these challenges; the total estimated additional amount in euro that had not previously been accounted for, to deal with the financial challenges in Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47554/13]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Lucinda Creighton

32. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the severance settlements and pension arrangements for the local staff not diplomatically accredited to the Irish Embassy to the Holy See when it was closed; the total number of local staff not diplomatically accredited to the Irish Embassy to the Holy See at the time of its closure; the length of time each local staff member not diplomatically accredited to the Irish Embassy to the Holy See had worked at the Embassy at the time of its closure; the number of the local staff that were redeployed or where attempts were made by his Department to redeploy them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47344/13]

Exports Data

Lucinda Creighton

107. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Taoiseach if he will provide in tabular form the total exports by industry category in euro for 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; if he will provide a breakdown between foreign direct investment companies exports and indigenous small and medium enterprises exports in euro terms for 2011, 2012, and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45948/13]

Tax Code

Lucinda Creighton

163. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance the measures in place to ensure that legitimate tradespeople in the construction industry are protected against those who have started their new business and will be paying no income tax for two years; and his views that the margins of the non-income tax paying trader will be able to generate will mean that they can undercut pre-existing traders. [45937/13]

Pensions Levy Issues

Lucinda Creighton

164. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 98 of 27 June 2013, where he stated I made a point of confirming that the pension fund levy introduced as part of the jobs initiative will not be renewed after 2014, the reason the levy has been renewed after 2014; if he will confirm what happened between June and October to cause him to make this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45938/13]

Pensions Levy Issues

Lucinda Creighton

165. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance the reason it is the case that all private sector workers' pensions are subject to a pension levy but it is only the very high earners of public pensions which are subjected to a levy; if he will detail the exact number of pension arrangements that have been subjected to the pension levy for 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45940/13]

Tax Reliefs Availability

Lucinda Creighton

166. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance if he will detail the consultation he had with the Department of Health concerning the removal of the tax relief restriction on private health insurance for the 577,000 policy holders which the Revenue estimate will be affected by this removal; if he will explain the reason the Revenue Commissioners estimates that the relief change will impact 577,000 policy holders but the industry estimates it will affect 90% of the 1.09 million policy holders availing of the relief; if he will consider reversing this decision and not include the measure in the new finance Bill 2013 thus allowing the resolution to expire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45941/13]

Exports Data

Lucinda Creighton

167. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance if he or his officials have met with any pharmaceutical companies located here in advance of budget 2014 to see if there are any measures which he could take to improve their exports and offset some of the losses experienced from drugs coming off patent; if he is concerned that the 3% drop in exports year on year, according to the latest statistics, is largely attributable to a fall-off in pharmaceutical exports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45942/13]

Job Creation

Lucinda Creighton

168. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance the total number of meetings he or his officials in the Department of Finance held with ADC Therapeutics since 2011; if he will detail the number of meetings the National Treasury Management Agency or the National Development Finance Agency held with ADC Therapeutics since 2011; if he will detail the total investment that ADC Therapeutics sought from the State in order to invest and create 300 jobs here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45943/13]

Jobs Initiative

Lucinda Creighton

259. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated total number of full-time jobs that have been created from initiatives which have been directly funded by the pension levy since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45939/13]

Departmental Meetings

Lucinda Creighton

390. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of meetings he or his officials in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation held with ADC Therapeutics since 2011; the total number of meetings the industrial development agency held with ADC Therapeutics since 2011; if he will explain the reason the ADC Therapeutics investment failed and the amount of investment it was seeking from the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45944/13]

Job Initiatives

Lucinda Creighton

391. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of full time and part-time jobs which were created directly as a result of the reduction in employers PRSI for lower paid workers from 8.5% to 4.25% since it came into effect and up until to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45947/13]

Tax Code

Lucinda Creighton

483. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of full-time and part-time jobs which were created directly as a result of the reduction in employers' PRSI for lower paid workers from 8.5% to 4.25% since it came into effect and to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45945/13]

Social Insurance Rates

Lucinda Creighton

484. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reversing the increase to PRSI for lower paid workers from 4.25% to 8.5% if job growth stalls or unemployment for that grouping rises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45946/13]

Household Benefits Scheme

Lucinda Creighton

504. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the impact of the proposed changes in the social welfare and pensions Bill (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46162/13]

Departmental Expenditure

Lucinda Creighton

525. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail in tabular form the total public expenditure for each individual benefit detailed in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013 in euro for every year between 2001 to date in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46369/13]

Social Welfare Fraud Investigations

Lucinda Creighton

529. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is any disproportionate welfare checking of migrants versus non-migrants as part of the Department's investigations into welfare fraud; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46410/13]

Local Authority Finances

Lucinda Creighton

659. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will detail in tabular form the total combined figure in euro for all local authorities for deficits, outstanding bank debt, paid overtime, current revenues used to pay pensions; if he will detail the total number of sick days accounted for in all local authorities; if he will detail the cumulative payroll cost for 2012 for all local authorities as a percentage of their overall revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45935/13]