Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Alternative Energy Projects

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

731. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount paid by Bord Gáis for the wind turbines purchased from a society (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16503/13]

Temporary Release of Prisoners

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

920. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason an inmate (details supplied) of Castlerea prison is not being released even though the Governor of the prison has cleared the prisoner for release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17032/13]

Departmental Bodies

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

944. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he will appoint a new board to the Private Security Authority; the reason for the delay thus far; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17173/13]

Sporting Organisations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

1358. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of a report, Debrief from 2012 Olympic Games which was prepared for the Irish Sports Council by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16038/13]

Garda Vetting of Personnel

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

122. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the need to review and clarify the legal background and advice given regarding the State Examinations Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15490/13]

Coillte Teoranta Harvesting Rights Sale

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

105. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure a supply of timber to the indigenous saw milling plants in view of the sale of the harvesting rights of Coillte forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15362/13]

Common Agricultural Policy Reform

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

464. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, with regard to the Commom Agricultural Policy, he will continue with the current payments regime or if he will alter it to reflect the flattening of payments as proposed by the EU Commissioner for Agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15363/13]

Tax Code

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

3. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a complaint (details supplied) regarding the failure of the Revenue Commissioners to investigate the non payment of VAT; if the Revenue Commissioners have been notified of this complaint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14403/13]

Tax Code

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

68. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate where accountability lies for issues regarding the Revenue Commissioners and the non-compliance by private companies in relation to VAT in view of circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14605/13]

Departmental Strategies

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

102. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the frequency with which circulars drafted within his Department are reviewed; if there is any obligation, mandatory or otherwise, for circulars to be reviewed and at what interval; if he will consider introducing a review system similar to that which exists in the Department of Health where all circulars have to be reviewed every two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14373/13]

Flood Relief Schemes

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

287. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 28 of January 2013, if he will provide an explanation of what he means by capacity restrictions with the existing channel; if he is referring to the restriction at the bridge at Athleague and to the reduction of the two openings at the east end of bridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13968/13]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

326. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the policy of not allowing rent allowance to a person (details supplied) who owns a house, even if that house has been condemned as unfit for habitation; if she will look into the particulars of this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13980/13]

Controlled Drug Sales

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

461. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if cannabinoid medicines such as Sativex for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and other ailments will be available here in June of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14149/13]

Prison Accommodation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

84. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for Harristown House, Castlerea, County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13443/13]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

119. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of years employees of his Department have been seconded to two private companies, the Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society Ltd and Horse Sport Ireland Ltd; if there are any current employees of his Department working within these two companies; if so, the names of the persons and the length of time they have been seconded to HSI or IHB; if not, when his Department's employees' ceased working within the IHB and HSI; if there are any of his Department's employees currently or previously working within private companies other then IHB and HSI with their salaries paid by his Department; his views on whether it is appropriate that taxpayers here pay the salaries of civil servants working for private companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13580/13]

State Examinations Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

82. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason, in the case of the Superintending of State Examinations, applicants for these posts, having to do with the care of children and other vulnerable young persons, are not being allowed to go through the direct Garda vetting system in order to conform to the Childrens Act 2012, but instead are being compelled to register, at quite a cost to themselves, with the Teaching Council of Ireland; his views on whether this requirement, called Condition 4 in the application form for Superintendents, is found to be costly and oppressive and discriminates against retired teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13370/13]

Foster Care Expenditure

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

100. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the fostering care allowance should be excluded as income by lending institutions when calculating mortgage repayments (details supplied); her views on whether including such an allowance in mortgage repayments calculations is to put the welfare of fostered children in jeopardy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13185/13]

Water Meters

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

153. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the tendering process for the installation of water meters to residential properties; his views on whether the work is suited to smaller contractors rather than the larger construction firms who are more focused on projects that require high capital investment in plant and so on; his views on whether, by altering the tender entry criteria, one must have a turnover of at least €400,000 for the last three years, to suit the smaller contractor or trades man, the work could be made available to those who have been hardest hit from the downturn in construction; if he will review the situation regarding a small contractor (details supplied) in County Roscommon and use his situation as a template for hundreds of other similar contractors who would benefit from an adjustment in the entry criteria for tendering for the work of water meter installation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/13]

Animal Breeding Regulations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

124. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the situation in rural Ireland where persons have had their sheep herds attacked by domestic dogs; if he will consider introducing legislation making microchipping compulsory for all dogs; if he will legislate to have dogs impounded while attacks are investigated as has recently been introduced in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6995/13]

Pupil Transfers

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

221. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review circular 32/03 section 3, transfer of pupils to another primary school to repeat sixth class; if he is satisfied that this is a useful and justifiable restriction; if he will consider having it removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12669/13]

State Properties

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

269. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the circumstances in which Ballyhoura Estates Limited, consisting of a substantial house, outbuildings and more than 130 acres of land, which was vested in and held in trust by the Minister for Finance under the 1954 State Property Act on 1 September 1972 for the statutory 20 years, was conveyed to a person (details supplied) on 5 April 1979, and then on 6 April 1979, was conveyed to the person's daughter in part house, outbuildings and 17 acres of land, of which the person, sold 6.315 acres on 11 January 1984; if he will explain the way, almost two years later, on 6 October 1986, the Minister for Finance sold in fee simple sale absolute to the person who had acquired the property seven years earlier, while the property was vested in the Minister for Finance; if this transaction was ever examined as to its propriety, the steps that were taken by his Department to safeguard the property interests of the State in such transactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12759/13]

Crime Data

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

464. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the figures for crimes committed by persons who have absconded from Shelton Abbey, County Wicklow and Loughan House, County Cavan open prisons over the past five years by category of crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12572/13]

Competition Law

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

472. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will use the powers provided to him under the Criminal Justice Act 2011 to order that criminal offences under the Competition Acts be specified as relevant offences under the Criminal Justice Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12658/13]

Departmental Staff Redeployment

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

502. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that for many years employees of his Department were seconded to the Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society Ltd and Horse Sport Ireland Ltd to administer the Irish Sport Horse Studbook, if he will confirm whether this practice continues; if there are other cases in which civil servants have been seconded to work in private companies and their salaries have continued to be paid by the Irish taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12770/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

520. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the official bovine tag order form as issued by his Department used partly for the purpose of bovine identification and now partly for BVD scheme purposes, if he will confirm the statutory basis for giving effect to the official bovine tag order form and to require the transfer of farmer personal data from his Department to the ICBF for the purported purposes of the statutory BVD scheme; if he will confirm whether or not in requiring the farmer's permission to transfer such personal data as part of the tag ordering process is in compliance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 to 2003; if he will confirm if he has he had any communications from the data protection office concerning possible data protection breaches relating to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12763/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

521. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the purported role of the Irish Cattle Breeders’ Federation in relation to the statutory BVD scheme; if he will confirm the reason the ICBF role under the scheme appears to lack a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12764/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

522. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under which statutory authority farmers are being asked to pay for bovine approved ear tags; if he will confirm the statutory authority that authorises his Department and-or his approved agent Euro tags Mullinahone Co-operative to require a farmer contribution towards the operational costs of the Irish Cattle Breeders’ Federation as part of the total tag cost under the statutory BVD scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12765/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

523. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether or not the tissue sample and or blood sample are approved tests for the purposes of determining or confirming that an animal is truly infected or not with the disease; if he will confirm whether or not the purported tests used to detect or confirm the existence of BVD are 100% accurate and reliable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12766/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

524. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the purported statutory BVD scheme appears to not provide for the compulsory removal of animals that give a positive reaction to test given the compulsory nature of the scheme since 1 January 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12767/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

525. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm whether the tissue tag or second approved ear tag purportedly used for the purposes of the BVD scheme is authorised by European law; if he will confirm the relevant EU legal provisions; if approval was required for its use and if so if it was sanctioned by the relevant EU authorities; if he will confirm the statutory authority that enables him to require a farmer, as opposed to his statutory authorised officers, to take a sample from the bovine using a tissue tag and submission of same to a designated laboratory; if he will confirm the statutory authority under which farmers are being asked to pay the fees demanded by the designated laboratories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12771/13]

Hospital Services

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

620. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the priority of works proposed for St. Patrick's Hospital, Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, in view of the fact that the hospital does not have a call bell system and under the current phased programme or works to the hospital it is scheduled for the fourth phase; if he will reconsider this schedule and ask that call bells be given a higher priority and brought up to an earlier phase of the programme as communication between the patients and staff is vital to the well-being of the patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12667/13]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

628. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has indemnified suppliers of replacement hips, namely DePuy Ltd. or Johnson and Johnson Ltd.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12753/13]

Road Signage

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

661. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the position regarding the signage along the N59; if he will explain the necessity to have large signs at the junction of all minor roads between Ballisodare and Dromad; the cost of the new signage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12743/13]

Road Traffic Offences

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

54. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his proposals concerning the termination of penalty points; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11684/13]

Leader Programmes Administration

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

148. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will leave the Leader funding structure as it is; if he will set out the advantage of moving the Leader programmes and the county enterprise boards into the local authorities; his views on whether the Leader programmes and the CEBs are enterprise focused and that the local authorities are service focused and thus the two entities are culturally different and will not sit well together; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11802/13]

Water Fluoridation

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

222. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the location from which the hydrofluorisilic acid used to deliver fluoride to our drinking water is being sourced from at present; if he will provide a source to confirm the origin of this hydrofluorisilic acid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11785/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

28. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on internment in Northern Ireland. [8876/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

63. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Office and the Secretary of State with regard to Marian Price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8863/13]

Garda Investigations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

590. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if an investigation by a person (details supplied) into the theft of cannabis by gardaí based at Henry Street Garda Station, County Limerick and Roxborough Garda Station, County Limerick, has resulted in a file being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8866/13]

Hospital Mortality Rates

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

3. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the mortality rates in the former coronary care unit at Roscommon County Hospital and the rates at University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7764/13]

State Examinations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

164. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will investigate the requirement of the State Examinations Commission that superintendents of examinations must be registered with the Teaching Council; and his views on the necessity of a retired teacher (details supplied) in County Longford who wishes to superintend at exams, to register with the Teaching Council. [7779/13]

Property Ownership

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

91. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason a property was sold to the beneficial owner (details supplied) in County Cork as a sale absolute by use of a S31 application which allowed the Minister for Finance to waive any interest vesting, under the State Property Act 1954, in the state on the dissolution of a company. [7659/13]

Garda Investigations

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

151. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a Garda Síochána investigation ongoing into systemic weight to volume fraud at Coillte Teo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7603/13]

Bovine Disease Controls

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

172. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the number of bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis reactors that have been taken out under section 20 of the Diseases of Animals Act 1966 since its inception; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in failing to take out bovine TB and brucellosis reactors under section 20 of the 1966 Act he is committing a criminal offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7635/13]

IBRC Legal Cases

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

237. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the amount that Anglo Irish Bank-IBRC spent in legal fees in relation to Quinn companies and the Quinn family, both in this jurisdiction and in all others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7123/13]

Garda Deployment

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

146. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the Garda Armed Response Unit has been patrolling Dundalk town, County Louth, and suburbs for the past six months or so; his views on the appropriateness of such patrols by the Armed Response Unit; the reason such patrols are not carried out by the Gardaí stationed in Dundalk; if the Armed Response Unit are briefed on community affairs and if they have the same knowledge of community issues as the regular Gardaí stationed in this town; his views on whether this deployment should be reviewed; the way the decision to have the Armed Response Unit patrol Dundalk was arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6576/13]

Road Safety

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

51. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied with the operation of the GoSafe system; his plans to expand same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6015/13]

Penalty Points System

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

60. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will publish the internal Garda report he has commissioned on allegations of widespread ticket fixing by some members of An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6014/13]

Garda Powers

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

673. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the law under which gardaí may confiscate and keep for seven months the personal property of a person (details supplied) without an explanation or legal order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5657/13]

Ambulance Service Provision

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

859. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if there has been a reduction in ambulance services for those attending medical appointments within the Health Service Executive services; if there has been a change to facilities for transporting non urgent patients, often from their home to hospitals or clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5860/13]