Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Fodder Crisis

Robert Dowds

548. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Defence if, in view of the current fodder crisis, he will consider giving the cut grass from the lands around Baldonnel Aerodrome, Dublin, to local farmers. [25937/13]

Youth Work Projects Funding

Robert Dowds

594. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has given consideration to maintaining financial support for the Big Brother, Big Sister programme run by the Foróige organisation, which seeks to ensure that vulnerable young people receive the help and support of a mentor which will help them overcome their own difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25142/13]

Live Exports

Robert Dowds

226. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider implementing a ban on the live exports which exceed eight hours in duration, and if he has concerns about the treatment of animals exported from Ireland to Libya or the Middle East once the animals have reached their destination. [23069/13]

HSE Expenditure

Robert Dowds

249. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the volume and cost of transport fuel petrol and diesel purchased by the Health Service Executive for use in HSE vehicles in the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, broken down by each HSE region; HSE Dublin Mid Leinster, HSE Dublin North East, HSE South and HSE West [23070/13]

Ministerial Meetings

Robert Dowds

57. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a report on his visit to Northern Ireland on 30 April 2013. [21702/13]

Domiciliary Care Allowance Review

Robert Dowds

121. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the review of domiciliary care allowance and disability allowance in the 16 to 18 age group. [21698/13]

Waste Management Issues

Robert Dowds

145. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to tackle the problem of dioxins from waste which are seeping into our atmosphere, if on land, in the air or in the water. [21700/13]

Waste Management Issues

Robert Dowds

146. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the plans there are, at European Union level, to tackle the problem of dioxins from waste which are escaping into the atmosphere, if on land, in the air or in the water. [21701/13]

Crime Statistics

Robert Dowds

162. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the criteria for recording of burglary offences for purposes of national crime statistics has been altered in the past four years; and if so, in what way have they been altered and the rationale for the alteration. [21703/13]

Garda Operations

Robert Dowds

163. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the 22% reduction in the number of Garda summonses in the first three months of 2013 compared to the first three months of 2012. [21704/13]

Garda Remuneration

Robert Dowds

201. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the fact that the proposals of the Croke Park extension has been rejected by the trade union movement, if he will give consideration to amending the proposed changes in the pay and conditions of members of An Garda Síochána to better reflect the anti-social hours of work which Gardaí must do, the danger that Gardaí put themselves in to protect the public and to help bolster morale amongst Gardaí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19314/13]

Asylum Applications

Robert Dowds

188. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding former asylum seekers who has been given leave to remain but is unable to present a valid passport through no fault of their own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17765/13]

Credit Availability

Robert Dowds

204. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance his views on banks engaging in constructive refusal of credit for small businesses by means of not replying to requests for credit; his views on whether this is a significant hindrance to job creation; and the measures he is taking to ensure that banks are not engaging in constructive refusal of credit. [16846/13]

Credit Availability

Robert Dowds

205. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide, in tabular form, figures from the last year for which they are available for the total number of loan applications made by small and medium enterprises to each Irish financial institution; the number of loan applications from small businesses which were refused by each Irish financial institution; the number of loan applications which were approved by each Irish financial institution; and the number of loan applications which did not get to a stage where they were either approved or refused at each Irish financial institution. [16847/13]

Banking Sector Remuneration

Robert Dowds

270. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance in the context of the recently published Mercer report, his views on whether lower paid bank workers working for State owned banks should be treated differently from higher paid bank executives; if the Mercer report was a fair reflection on the pay and conditions of low paid workers; and if he will commit to ensuring that low paid bank workers in State-owned banks will be treated fairly in any discussions on remuneration in view of the difficult and stressful circumstances in which they are working. [16516/13]

Tax Compliance

Robert Dowds

361. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance the action he proposes to take to further tackle tax fraud, in view of the findings of an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that between 50 to 60 Irish addresses are listed as being connected to secret offshore bank accounts with a total estimated value of €16-25 trillion and further in view of the European Commission's response to the findings of this investigation, which was to call on member states, including Ireland, to do more to tackle tax fraud in view of the fact that the cost of tax fraud to member states is an estimated €1 trillion per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17682/13]

Schools Building Contractors

Robert Dowds

384. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the tendering for the construction of new schools and extensions to schools in Lucan, County Dublin; if he will indicate which bidders have been successful in their bids to construct the various projects; and if the successful bidder is under any obligation to employees or sub contractors based locally. [16101/13]

Building Regulations Amendments

Robert Dowds

797. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to amend the Building Control Regulations to provide for the physical inspection of a new building to ensure that it has been built according to the plans for which a fire safety certificate was issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16742/13]

Garda Remuneration

Robert Dowds

860. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will give consideration to amending the proposed changes in the pay and conditions of members of An Garda Síochána to better reflect the anti-social hours of work which Gardaí must do, the danger that Gardaí put themselves in to protect the public and to tackle the ongoing problem of poor morale amongst Gardaí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16523/13]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Robert Dowds

918. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the commitment in the Programme for Government to review the system of direct provision for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17014/13]