1829 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that due to the terms of revised circular 10/01 incremental credit for teaching service outside the EU is limited to a maximum of seven years; his views on whether non-EU teaching experience will be of benefit to the Irish education system, in view of the large numbers of non-EU children enrolled in schools here; his views on amending revised circular 10/1 to allow for increased incremental credit for non-EU teaching service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31528/08]
1759 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the efforts in relation to correspondence (details supplied) that his Department has made in conjunction with Bus Éireann to establish whether children who have school bus tickets are fully availing of this service; and if seats which are not regularly used by ticket holders can be re-assigned to families who are without school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30846/08]
766 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the immigration status of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28280/08]
765 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was informed by his Department that their application for naturalisation would be finalised by June 2008 and is not yet finalised; the reason for the delay in this case; when finalisation of this application is expected; if the applicant will be able to travel to their home country for Christmas 2008 and return to Ireland without affecting their naturalisation application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28279/08]
320 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the volume of trade between Zimbabwe and Ireland; the industries and companies currently involved in this trade; the goods originating in Zimbabwe that are imported into Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28825/08]
41 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount and percentage of wind power with access to the national grid; the number of applications awaiting access to the grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28023/08]
817 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for naturalisation from a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27144/08]
811 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the application for long-term residency of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be detrimentally affected if they return temporarily to China; the procedures which should be followed by this person in order to ensure that they can return to Ireland and resume their employment after their visit to China; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27086/08]
674 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the situation at a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; his views on the accommodation and class size difficulties in this school; the status of this school’s application for new premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27207/08]
670 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the need for a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; if progress will be made in 2008 in relation to the project; when completion is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27134/08]
753 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has withheld sanction for continuation of the information and communication technology adviser positions in all education centres; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that cessation of secondments to ICT Advisor posts would deprive pupils and teachers of vital support in the area of ICT; the way he proposes to progress ICT skills development in the absence of ICT advisors in education centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27412/08]
66 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received the final reports of the Morris Tribunal which he told the Houses of the Oireachtas on 28 May 2008 were expected in mid June 2008; when it is expected that these reports will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27031/08]
138 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on a relaxation of the replanting obligation which would have a positive effect on the levels of afforestation and the value and competitiveness of land under forestry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25554/08]
84 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will re-open the farm improvement scheme which would help ease the burden on farmers going forward following the introduction of the Nitrates Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25555/08]
367 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the basis for refusal of visitor visas to persons (details supplied); if he will sympathetically review the refusal decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24346/08]
366 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to an application for a visa extension for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if a refusal of a visa extension in these circumstances is conducive to retention of non-Irish national nurses in the health service here; if he will sympathetically review this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24319/08]
91 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the local sports partnerships established in 2008; the number of people employed in these; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24578/08]
121 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent imprisonment of the leader of the opposition who is contesting the final stage of the presidential elections in Zimbabwe.
[23504/08]
816 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in September 2007 his Department was processing long term residency applications received in July 2006 and that nine months later in May 2008 his Department had only reached applications received in August 2006; the current waiting time for processing of applications for long term residency by his Department; the number of staff engaged in the processing of such applications; his views on the assignment of additional staff to facilitate quicker processing of such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23108/08]
814 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for long term residency received by his Department in each month during the year 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23086/08]
695 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the status of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; when the building unit of his Department will arrange a meeting with the board of management to discuss this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23024/08]
193 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for long-term residency for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if this application will be finalised in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22317/08]
20 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children if guidelines have been changed in the number of home help hours that are allocated to elderly people; if so the way the needs are determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22179/08]
148 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the change to the Revenue Commissioners approach to collecting tax from businesses in view of the markedly less benign economic climate and recent reports that the Revenue Commissioners are prepared to show firms some latitude in this regard; if the Revenue Commissioners will engage proactively with businesses to ward off problems at a later date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21977/08]
135 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he agrees with the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies of Ireland that unilateral tax credit arrangements with other countries is preferable to a series of double taxation agreements; if he proposes to pursue such an approach to international taxation agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21975/08]
126 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school premises (details supplied) in County Kildare is sub-standard, damp, vermin-infested and inadequate in size, that four of the classes in this school are housed in prefab buildings some of which are over 20 years old, that the local community raised a substantial amount of money and in 2003 purchased a two acre site for a new school building to the rear of the existing premises and that all stages to tender for a new school premises have been completed; if this school will be included in the 2008 school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21691/08]
131 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the fact that the gardaí have spent less than half the moneys allocated for the witness protection programme over the past decade; if he is satisfied that the scheme is being used to the maximum extent possible; his views on placing the programme on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21080/08]
117 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will publish the legislation that will allow gardaí, with appropriate safeguards, to use the result of surveillance of high profile criminal gangs to be used in court; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21079/08]
589 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when Wexford County Council will be notified of their allocations under the disabled persons and essential repairs grants.
[19868/08]
459 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he received an application for long-term residency from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; when a decision will be made in relation to this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19256/08]
157 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will put in place a proper policy framework that supports an indigenous bio-energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19630/08]
507 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received a submission dated 31 March 2008 from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has lived here since 1992 and is an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation; if he has had an opportunity to read this submission; if he will sympathetically review the refusal of this person’s application for Irish citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18558/08]
109 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department has a policy or proposals for policy initiatives to increase business investment in the arts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17670/08]
Bill entitled an Act to provide in the public interest for the registration of paid lobbyists and, to the greatest extent possible consistent with the public interest in free and open access to central and local government, for the disclosure of their activities, and to provide for related matters
73 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the promised six extra beds which were to have been in place by March 2008 for the child and adolescent psychiatric service have not been delivered at St. Vincent’s, Fairview, Dublin; when they will be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16265/08]
18 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on the report on the affect on the health services of the abuse of alcohol in society here; her further views on whether the proposals being brought forward by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform are sufficient response from the Government; her proposals to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16264/08]
251 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who has applied for Irish citizenship; if he will take steps to ensure that this person’s full vouched residency here is taken into account in the context of their application for citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15926/08]
64 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on the fact that the consumer price index shows that inflation is running at 5% with inflation in fuel and staple food prices running significantly in excess of this level; his further views on the effect this is having on persons on low, fixed incomes and on social welfare; if he will propose measures to address the persistently high inflation rate and measures that will particularly aim at alleviating the effects of inflation for those on low, fixed incomes and on social welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15622/08]
365 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for residency under the family reunification scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15106/08]
151 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether it is equitable that the medical card income limit in respect of a single person living either alone or with a family is considerably less than the lowest rate of social welfare payment; if she will take steps to remedy this anomaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[15007/08]
430 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the situation in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; her views on the accommodation and class size difficulties in this school; the status of this school’s application for new premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14868/08]
390 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if there is a scheme of funding under his Department’s auspices which could be accessed in respect of the provision by a charitable organisation of holiday accommodation and a range of community type services for disadvantaged people; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14686/08]
254 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures being taken to ensure that the youth homelessness strategy is being implemented in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14426/08]
98 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that students enrolled in the graduate medicine programme at various universities in the State are required to contribute up to €12,000 per year from their own resources towards the annual tuition fee; if it is equitable that tax relief on tuition fees for such students is limited to outlay of €5,000 per year; if he will take steps to amend this unfair anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14823/08]
78 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the provision made in the 2008 Estimates for the targeted fund of €10 million to alleviate fees in public institutions for persons participating in third level study who are in employment and who have not previously pursued a third level qualification as outlined in Section 7.9 of Towards 2016; the administrative procedures of the scheme; when applications will be accepted; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13213/08]
301 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Cawley Report into the seafood industry was received by her Department; when this report will be made available to all sections of the bottom mussel industry; if her attention has been drawn to whether the report has already been leaked or draft copies provided to some sections of the industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12843/08]
224 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to reports that the Nautilus UK trade union has called for rapid agreement between the UK and Ireland on the provision of an emergency towing vessel for the Irish Sea following on an incident in which a freight ro-ro (details supplied) grounded on the foreshore at Blackpool; the progress made towards reaching such agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12814/08]
91 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the continuing threat to human health and the economy generally from animal diseases, she will consider the establishment of a permanent bio-security unit to provide maximum protection against threats of this nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13072/08]
87 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all applications for grant aid received and approved under the farm waste management scheme will be paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13073/08]
625 Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, where fishing vessels which are to be decommissioned and for which a compensation package for owners has been negotiated, her Department is arranging a compensation package for crew members who may lose their employment as a result of such decommissioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11294/08]