55 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied with the nature and extent of the disciplinary action taken by the Garda Commission against members of the force criticised in the second report of the Morris tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21425/05]
41 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a financial settlement has been offered to members of the McBrearty families in respect of their claim against the State arising from the matters highlighted in the two reports of the Morris tribunal; when the promised apology will be issued; the persons who will be covered by the apology; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21426/05]
148 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if Oireachtas secretarial assistants who accept the current buy out arrangement and any future VER package will retain entitlement to a pension lump sum on reaching pension age in addition to both components of the package; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21366/05]
46 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport his plans to proceed with the European Union proposals to require safety belts to be fitted to all seats in all new vehicles except for buses used on stage stop routes as approved in May 2005 by the European Parliament, ahead of directives legally requiring the State to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21241/05]
85 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if the NRA has yet reported to him on the outcome of his engagement with NTR in relation to the current contract for the M50 toll bridge; if so, the details of its report and the action he is taking on foot of it; and if not, when he expects the NRA to report to him on the matter.
[21242/05]
466 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review the application for business permission in the State for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford under Clause (ii) of the criteria governing exceptions if an applicant cannot meet the €300,000 minimum capital investment or employ two EEA nationals; if he will arrange the release of this person’s passport from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20651/05]
460 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which a person (details supplied) in County Wexford has fallen short of the requirements for naturalisation; if his Department has received representations from this person in relation to their naturalisation application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20610/05]
143 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the call made by a person (details supplied) for the scrapping of plans to introduce the general practitioner-only card and for the Government instead to honour its commitment to provide an additional 200,000 full medical cards; her views on this call; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20832/05]
74 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to allow families to write off child care costs when being assessed for eligibility for medical cards; her estimate of the number of persons or families which benefit from such a move; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that income levels for medical cards are so low that few of those holding medical cards can avail of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20833/05]
78 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider exempting senior citizens from the annual Government levy of €10 per ATM card, €20 per laser card, by way of encouragement not to keep cash in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20493/05]
42 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will consider bypassing the Arts Council as a means of funding the Abbey Theatre and implement a system whereby the theatre is funded directly from Government; his views on whether the funding of the Abbey Theatre requires urgent review in view of the losses recorded for 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20288/05]
39 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his reaction to the recent announcement in An Post’s 2004 annual report that the company recorded a pre-tax profit of €7 million for 2004; his views on whether the company is justified in seeking up to 1,500 redundancies in view of such profits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19900/05]
656 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if all documentation and information provided to the Irish-born child unit will be returned to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19796/05]
301 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if the OPW has acquired a site for the new Garda divisional headquarters in Wexford town; the location of the site and the amount paid; if the views of local public representatives were taken into account in deciding on the best site; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19301/05]
133 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has resolved the issues of persons (details supplied) who wish to retain the right to send their children to a school in County Wexford; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is room in the school for the children concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19651/05]
114 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances under which the Government agreed to an extension of four years in the term of office of the president of UCC; if it is planned to extend this facility to any other head of a third level college; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19652/05]
70 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent Senate Committee hearings in the United States dealing with the abuses of Iraqi oil resources in the early days of the occupation of that country.
[18485/05]
86 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance his plans to review the operation of the tonnage tax, under which certain shipping operators will opt to pay a notional tax based on tonnage, rather than standard corporation tax; the number of vessels that qualify and the amount of tax foregone; his further plans to impose any conditions on companies opting for this system, such as a requirement to employ crews' an acceptable level of payment and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18271/05]
40 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the recent report from One Parent Exchange Network, which found that finance companies and money lenders were charging up to 200% interest to vulnerable families; if such rates of interest are acceptable; if he intends to take steps to further control such interest rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18273/05]
66 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position in regard to discussions between the labour inspectorate and a company (details supplied) regarding the treatment of a person who had been employed as a beautician on a vessel at a rate of €1 per hour, having been recruited through a foreign based employment agency; the steps he intends to take to prevent such exploitation of workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18011/05]
39 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the recent call from the chief executive of the chambers of commerce for the introduction of savage penalties to deter companies from underpaying foreign workers and a more rigorous enforcement of non-national worker rights; his response to the call; if he will undertake any review of the penalties available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18001/05]
31 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the Government’s views on the recently published report of the consumer strategy group; the reason he has decided to embark on another consultation process in regard to below-cost selling; when this process will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18119/05]
82 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed that proposed new EU regulations on animal medicines (details supplied) will lead to significant additional costs for farmers; when it is intended to make the required amendments to the animal remedies regulations; if she intends to designate pharmacists as suitably qualified professionals for prescribing purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17383/05]
49 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps being taken to establish the extent of possible MRSA type infections in animals; if she has satisfied herself that adequate steps are in place to prevent the spread of such infections; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17382/05]
332 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for leave to remain here on the basis of having an Irish born child by a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; if a determination is likely to be made in this case in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17266/05]
79 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the efforts he has made to date to combat welfare fraud; the areas which are most vulnerable to fraudulent claims; the amount of money lost to fraudulent claims in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17122/05]
36 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the new scheme announced recently by Foras na Gaeilge to fund Irish-speaking summer camps for children which will be located outside Gaeltacht areas; the level of funding his Department will provide for these camps; the level of interest from community and other groups that has been expressed in these new camps; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16664/05]
46 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the decentralisation plans for Foras na Gaeilge; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16665/05]
223 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if persons aged 65 years and over who remain in employment and wish to continue to make additional voluntary pension contributions are entitled to avail of tax relief on their additional voluntary contributions on the same terms as persons aged under 65 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16603/05]
222 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the status of outline proposals made for the enhancement of pensions for retired public servants on low incomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16602/05]
206 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the full provisions of EU Directive 93/16/EEC, with regard to contracts under the GMS scheme, apply in respect of doctors who have been in general practice here for several years prior to the introduction of this directive; if long experience in general practice can provide an exemption from the vocational training requirement of this directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16601/05]
167 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that half of the country’s local authorities have failed to acquire any social or affordable houses under the terms of Part V of the Planning Act 2000; the steps he intends to take to ensure that all local authorities make full use of this facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16333/05]
287 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding receipt of a visitor visa application for a person (details supplied); when a decision on this visa application will be conveyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16093/05]
179 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if fishing licences are being issued by his Department in respect of the River Nore; the number of licences that have been issued; the procedure for applying for such licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16324/05]
20 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding his consideration of the recommendations of the Legal Advisory Group on the Defamation Law, particularly in regard to the proposals for the establishment of a statutory press council; when he intends to bring proposals on this matter to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16122/05]
17 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for asylum received during 2002, 2003, 2004 and to date; the number of applications approved by the Refugee Appeals Commission; the number of appeals submitted to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and the number of such appeals upheld; the number of applications for leave to remain and the number of such applications granted; the number of deportation orders made and the number of such deportations carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16123/05]
51 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the position with regard to the development of a second terminal at Dublin Airport; if proposals have been brought to Cabinet on this issue; when a final decision will be taken; his views on whether the second terminal should be owned by the Dublin Airport Authority; the reason it has taken so long to reach a decision on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15571/05]
10 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport the investigation being held into the circumstances in which a train travelling on 1 April 2005 between Rosslare and Dublin split in two, in view of the possible safety consequences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15556/05]
134 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of beds provided to date and the hospitals in each case in regard to the commitment given in the national health strategy to provide an additional 3,000 hospital beds; the projected number that will be provided before the end of 2005; the number of beds lost since 1997 in each such hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[15320/05]
81 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if contracts have been signed for the provision of 500 short-term nursing home beds for patients who no longer need acute care; the location of these beds; when they will become available; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[15319/05]
370 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, regarding an application for permission to remain here by a person (details supplied), he will delay the making of a deportation order to enable the person to complete their education and to allow further consideration of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15259/05]
68 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has received recommendations from the Irish Sports Council arising from the review of Ireland’s performance at the Athens Olympics; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15000/05]
66 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the construction of a national conference centre; when consideration of the two tenders submitted will be completed and a contract awarded; the estimate of a likely starting date for construction and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15001/05]
42 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the rules and procedures for full market opening of the gas market; the date by which he expects this to be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14385/05]
56 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the fact that Ireland remains close to the bottom of the EU broadband services scorecard compiled by the European Competitive Telecommunications Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14384/05]
44 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contacts he and the Foreign Ministers of the European Union have had with the Sudanese Government about the deteriorating situation in Darfur; the outcome of the talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13550/05]
22 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his proposals following the recent visit to Darfur; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13549/05]
66 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if he has satisfied himself that there are sufficient procedures in place to provide for the adequate supervision of banks, in view of the continuing disclosures of incidences of overcharging by banks and financial institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13346/05]
52 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the terms of reference of the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector; when the review body is likely to complete its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13345/05]
384 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the waiting time for the processing of applications for naturalisation; the number of applications in hand; the expected date on which applications at present in his Department will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13402/05]