Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Food Safety Authority Role

Brendan Smith

223. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the Food Safety Authority of Ireland will retain its status as an independent agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4993/13]

Medical Card Applications

Tom Fleming

224. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health when a decision will issue on a medical card application in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4996/13]

Hospital Staff Issues

Seán Kyne

225. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress being made to ensure that doctors and medical professionals in the health service, such as non-consultant doctors, are employed on contracts with suitable rest periods and time off which is vital for the well-being of the medical professional as well as for upholding the high standard of patient care [5005/13]

Health Insurance Prices

Dara Calleary

226. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to curtail the spiralling private health insurance cost increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5011/13]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Oversight

Bernard Durkan

227. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for increases in charges under the fair care scheme notified to his Department; the basis for such increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5043/13]

Health Services Provision

Bernard Durkan

228. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when orthodontic treatment will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is suffering pain and discomfort and awaiting treatment at St. James’s Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5044/13]

National Strategy on Dementia Publication

Éamon Ó Cuív

229. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when he will publish the Strategy for Dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5055/13]

Departmental Contracts

Michelle Mulherin

230. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the tender process leading to the award of the contract for the provision of the new format driving licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4822/13]

Haulage Industry Regulation

Michael McGrath

231. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 696 of 18 December 2012, if he will answer a specific query from a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [4848/13]

Departmental Agencies Board Appointments

Billy Kelleher

232. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the number of organisations or agencies under the aegis of his Department that have vacancies on their board; the length of time any such vacancies have been unfilled; the number of vacancies that have been advertised; the number of applications to fill such vacancies that have been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4866/13]

Roads Maintenance

Tom Fleming

233. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason funding has not been provided for the replacement of the Spiddoge Bridge, Beaufort, County Kerry on the L7515 in the 2013 specific improvement grants allocation to Kerry County Council; if he will take into consideration the fact that the closure of this bridge is of great inconvenience to the local community, if he will now make funding available in order that work may commence on this important piece of infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4903/13]

Road Projects Contracts

Patrick O'Donovan

234. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will give consideration to allocating resources to the completion of the N21 project at Barnagh west of Newcastle West, County Limerick in view of the fact that the contractors are on site and phase one is nearing completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4924/13]

Driving Licence Issues

Michelle Mulherin

235. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the specification for photos to accompany an application for the new-format driving licence; if he will confirm that applicants will not have to travel to a central office to have the photo taken but can have it taken locally to the required specification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4951/13]

Driving Licence Renewals

Clare Daly

236. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will justify the cost anomalies where a person aged 65 years or over may only apply for a driving licence for a three year period, at ages 67 to 69, at a cost of €35 or a five year period, at 65 to 70, at a cost of €55, when a ten year licence costs €55; and the action he will take to deal with this pricing structure. [4970/13]

Public Transport Subsidies

John O'Mahony

237. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that during the summer of 2012 the National Transport Authority carried out a public consultation regarding existing public service obligation routes; the current position regarding this process; when he expects developments concerning PSO routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4975/13]

Rail Network

Éamon Ó Cuív

238. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has issued any instruction to CIE and Iarnród Éireann in relation to the preservation of the ownership of the old railway line from the Kerry-Limerick border to Tralee, County Kerry, which is to be developed as a greenway and also carries a fibre optic cable; and if he is satisfied that CIE is doing everything possible to defend its interests in this property in the public interest. [5052/13]

Rail Network

Éamon Ó Cuív

239. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has received through the National Sustainable Transport Office any solicitor's letter in relation to the Limerick-Kerry disused railway line claiming ownership of the line; the steps he intends taking in relation to ensuring that the State, through CIÉ, defends the public interest in this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5053/13]

Cultural Policy

Gerry Adams

9. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to expand culture night to culture week in September; and if he will also consider a second culture week during the summer holiday period in support of the Gathering 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4508/13]

Arts Council Funding

Kevin Humphreys

11. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will consider seeking the implementation of a multi-annual funding framework for those funded through the Arts Council to provide more certainty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4259/13]

National Monuments

Brian Stanley

12. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a decision will be made in relation to the battlefield site on Moore Street, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4498/13]