Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Merger of Cultural Institutions

Brendan Smith

10. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the timeframe for his plans to merge the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission into the National Library; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4488/13]

Emigrant Support Services

Brendan Smith

57. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total funding allocated in the Estimates for 2012 for the emigrant support programme; the amount spent under this programme for 2012; if he will list the recipient organisations in each country; the level of funding provided to each organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4799/13]

Emigrant Support Services

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the funding allocated in the Estimates for 2013 for the emigrant support programme; if he will list the organisations in each country that will receive funding under this programme; the amount per organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4800/13]

Sports Capital Programme Applications

Brendan Smith

207. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a sports capital programme 2012 application from a club (details supplied) in County Cavan was deemed invalid; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this club submitted a very detailed application with all the appropriate accompanying documentation; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that the club understood that its application met all the criteria of the scheme; the reason the application was unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4801/13]

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Brendan Smith

441. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the changes to the telephone allowance arising from Budget 2013; the level of expenditure incurred under this scheme in 2012; the projected expenditure for 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4216/13]

Professional Fees

Brendan Smith

23. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made in negotiations with the professional bodies in relation to the provision of advance price quotations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3342/13]

Diplomatic Representation Expenditure

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to amend the existing network of embassies and consulates in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3553/13]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Brendan Smith

59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the most recent discussions he has had with the authorities of the United States in relation to the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3554/13]

European Council Meetings

Brendan Smith

60. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the outcome of the special meeting of EU Foreign Ministers last week in relation to Mali; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3583/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent visit to Belfast; the issues discussed at the various meetings; the proposals, if any, arising from such meetings; if he will deal with the recent outbreak of sectarian violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3584/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

63. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent discussions he has had in relation to the need to progress the proposal to establish a successor programme to the Peace III Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3637/13]

Schools Building Projects Status

Brendan Smith

81. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the up to date position regarding a proposed building project in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; the present stage of this project; when this project is likely to proceed to the next stage; the likely time scale for construction to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3585/13]

Semi-State Bodies Mergers

Brendan Smith

44. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he expects to be the shareholder on behalf of the State for any new commercial semi-State entities or State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2828/13]

Courts Service Issues

Brendan Smith

191. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that there will be no change to the status of Ballyconnell District Court, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3393/13]

Courts Service Issues

Brendan Smith

192. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that there will be no change to the status of Virginia District Court, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3394/13]

Courts Service Issues

Brendan Smith

193. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that there will be no change to the status of Clones District Court, County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3395/13]

Animal Disease Controls

Brendan Smith

222. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce a compensation programme in respect of losses incurred by farmers under the BVD eradication programme; his plans to re-introduce the €100 welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3442/13]

Driving Licence Issues

Brendan Smith

251. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the concern among general photography/camera businesses in relation to the changes for the issue of photographs for new driving licences; if provision will be made to ensure that existing operators will be able to meet with the appropriate photo requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3628/13]

Education and Training Provision

Brendan Smith

157. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind reducing training allowance for further education and training participants in view of the fact that the majority of these students are disadvantaged students who should be helped to return to education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2715/13]

Tax Reliefs Application

Brendan Smith

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes to extend the excise rebate on diesel to passenger transport companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2069/13]

Deposit Interest Rates

Brendan Smith

70. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the matter of recent drop in deposit interest rate by An Post and if he will explain the reason this is justified; if savings of Irish savers are no longer required since the Euro financial crisis and general liquidity has improved somewhat; if we now want to raise borrowings at more expensive rates on the international bond market; if we are trying to divert Irish savers to some other product; if he will explain the drop which is way ahead of recent trends in the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2145/13]

Proposed Legislation

Brendan Smith

130. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty experienced by householders whose quality of life is diminished as a result of daylight being blocked from their homes by the presence of Leylandi trees growing in neighbouring gardens; if he will introduce regulations into the planning process or otherwise which would limit the type and height of trees that may be grown in urban gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2081/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

1. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has held with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the outbreak of sectarian violence in Belfast over the past number of weeks over flag protocols at Belfast City Hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1357/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

4. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken in relation to requesting a full independent inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane since the publication of the De Silva report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1358/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Brendan Smith

731. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the discussions he has held with the Northern Executive and British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to combating the threat presented by militant dissident activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1359/13]

Garda Investigations

Brendan Smith

816. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the investigations into the bombing at Belturbet, County Cavan, of December 1972 which caused the death of two young persons; if he is satisfied with the level of cooperation from statutory agencies outside the jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1956/13]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Brendan Smith

47. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to set out interim targets in relation to funding levels for overseas development aid to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57462/12]

Anti-Social Driving Practices

Brendan Smith

50. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 1 of 17 October 2012, if contact has been made with the Justice Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive or with other Departments or agencies on a cross-Border basis to deal with serious anti-social driving practices on the N54-A3 road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57527/12]

Irish Language Issues

Brendan Smith

51. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with Members of the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to the Irish Language Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57552/12]

EU Presidency Expenditure

Brendan Smith

52. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his priorities for the EU presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57598/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Brendan Smith

106. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposal to provide a new school (details supplied) in County Cavan; when this project will proceed to the next stage; the timescale for construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57412/12]

Schools Refurbishment

Brendan Smith

107. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for refurbishment of a school (details supplied); the length of time the request has been with his Department; the steps taken in processing the application to date; the reason it has not yet been approved; the estimated cost of the project and the options regarding funding schemes available; if a summary of the technical report on the school will be given; if he has particular departmental policy on the funding of these small minority schools; if approval will now be given for approval and the processing stages which need to be gone through before approval to go to contract is given. [57428/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Brendan Smith

110. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in relation to the possibility of having a proposed building project restored to his Department's school building programme (details supplied) in County Cavan; if this project will be prioritised in view of the over-reliance on temporary accommodation at this school where enrolment has grown rapidly over the past number of years and where the long-term permanent accommodation needs of the school have been accepted for some time by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57463/12]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Brendan Smith

111. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in having a proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in County Cavan restored to his Department's school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57464/12]

EU Programmes

Brendan Smith

127. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made to date in relation to the establishment of a successor programme to the Peace III Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57599/12]

Trade Agreements

Brendan Smith

137. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the discussions he has had to date with the EU Trade Commissioner de Gucht in relation to the EU-Canadian trade negotiations; if he has outlined the need to protect the European beef market in view of the importance of the beef sector to the economy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57703/12]

Irish Language Issues

Brendan Smith

171. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position in relation to the Irish Language Act; the discussions he has had with the Culture Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57630/12]

Telecommunications Services Provision

Brendan Smith

185. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of concerns in relation to the poor mobile telephone coverage in parts of the country, if he has outlined to the mobile telecommunications companies the need to invest to provide adequate mobile telecommunications infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57600/12]

Housing Adaptation Grants Expenditure

Brendan Smith

198. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the allocations made to Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council under the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability for each year since 2007; the funding drawn down by each council each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57638/12]

Beef Industry Issues

Brendan Smith

262. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the discussions he has had to date with EU Trade Commissioner de Gucht in relation to the EU-Canadian trade negotiations in view of the absolute need to protect the European beef market in view of the importance of the beef sector to the economy here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57683/12]

Hospital Services

Brendan Smith

321. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the proposal to provide a Medical Assessment Unit at Monaghan General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57628/12]

Road Improvement Schemes

Brendan Smith

343. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be allocated to Monaghan County Council in 2013 to finalise the preparatory work on the N2 Clontibret to the Border road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57411/12]

Local Improvements Scheme

Brendan Smith

358. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to allocate funding in 2013 to local authorities for local improvement schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57629/12]

Road Improvement Schemes

Brendan Smith

359. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that funding is provided to Cavan County Council for the 2013 road works scheme; if he will outline the progress of the proposed major upgrading of the East/West route from Cootehill to Dundalk [57639/12]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Smith

16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when he will reduce general practitioner remuneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57083/12]

Primary Care Services Provision

Brendan Smith

70. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of additional primary care posts that will be in place in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57084/12]

Foreign Conflicts

Brendan Smith

82. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that a resolution of the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a key objective of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57269/12]

Foreign Conflicts

Brendan Smith

83. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise at the UN Human Rights Council the ongoing violations of human rights within the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57270/12]

Humanitarian Aid

Brendan Smith

84. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will allocate additional overseas development aid to assist the humanitarian relief efforts in Syria and in surrounding countries in view of the fact that the crisis in Syria has intensified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57271/12]

Overseas Development Aid Provision

Brendan Smith

85. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will specify all sources of funding towards the total overseas development programme of €623 million for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57272/12]