446 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans, in view of the Government commitment to encouraging people to up-skill their educational qualifications and the assumption that this will lead to an increase in demand for teachers at third level, to reinstate the back to education scheme for masters degree students that was terminated on 1 January 2003; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31933/08]
269 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport if he has received bus licence applications from Dublin Bus or private operators to run a bus route between the town of Dún Laoghaire and Sandyford Luas station; if so, the status of those applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28838/08]
248 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the completion date for the feasibility studies on light rail transit systems in respect of Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28282/08]
247 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the amount of funding that is individually earmarked for mainline rail, light rail and metro, road, bus, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure projects in relation to the Transport 21 capital investment programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28281/08]
154 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans she has to increase the amount of respite care for people with intellectual disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[24880/08]
208 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details on the feasibility study for phase 2 of the Navan rail line; the expected time-scale for results of the study; and the expected date to begin planning.
[24550/08]
265 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to increase the provision of liquified petroleum gas in petrol stations here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19009/08]
249 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to address the issue of light pollution, specifically requirements that planning applications should be accompanied by lighting plans, the concerns of property owners whose dwellings are unreasonably polluted by artificial light and the issue of street light pollution; and his views on the use of full cut off lights where necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19010/08]
68 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting times for assessments for inter-country adoptions for residents of Dublin, in comparison to other counties in Ireland; her plans to cut these waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19011/08]
226 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the reason a service (details supplied) failed to obtain a bus operating licence under the Road Transport Act 1932; if he is aware of other operators competing on that route; the criteria by which licences are awarded for such routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15389/08]
960 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will explain the criteria relating to the designation of coastal locations under the EU Bathing Water Directive 79/160/EEC as bathing areas; his views on designating Trá Inis Oirr in the Aran Islands, County Galway under the directive in order that it might be eligible for submission by the local authority as a blue flag beach or green coast award; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11584/08]
555 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether the unit that deals with European economic area and European Union queries within the child benefit section of his Department in Letterkenny, County Donegal is adequately staffed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11511/08]
458 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the work that has been carried out on the proposed eastern bypass road over the past five years; the feasibility or other studies that have been carried out on the proposed road; the estimate he has for the cost of the road; the amount that has been spent on researching and preparing for the roads construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11334/08]
384 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will confirm that citizens who are in receipt of a declaration from the Irish Adoption Board which expires and is then renewed, will not be prevented from completing their adoption from Russia in view of the fact that Russia has not ratified the Hague Convention and that there may be no bilateral agreement in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11924/08]
383 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the impact ratification of the Hague Convention will have on adoption arrangements between Ireland and Russia; the measures he will put in place to facilitate the adoption by Irish citizens of Russian children in the event that ratification of the Hague Convention by Ireland prevents adoption between Ireland and Russia; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11923/08]
182 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children if she has plans to allow general practitioners to refer clients directly for bone density tests rather than requiring such clients to be referred to specialists; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7869/08]
312 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department is drafting legislation or intends to draft legislation to regulate the use of closed circuit television cameras on private dwellings in residential areas.
[7037/08]
170 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if, with regard to the requirement for tenants to deduct 20% of the gross rent payable directly to their landlord’s bank account when their landlord is non-resident, the number of cases where tenants’ tax credits have been reduced in this instance; the number of these cases that have been appealed to the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6931/08]
177 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport the tonnage of rail freight carried by Iarnród Éireann for the years 1996 to 2006 inclusive; the revenue obtained from carrying this rail freight for the years 1996 to 2006 inclusive; the costs incurred with providing the rail freight service for the years 1996 to 2006 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31638/07]
300 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on not attending the planned European Union, African Union summit meeting in Portugal scheduled for December 2007, if Mr Mugabe attends also; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21428/07]
880 Deputy Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) (No.2) Regulations 2006, implementing directive 2004/38/EC which require Regulation 3 (2) Non EU citizen family members to have resided in another EU Member State prior to arriving here to avail of residency rights.
[19747/07]
63 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the rights the Employment Rights Agency will have to acquire and keep its own data; and the resources that will be allocated to the agency for data collection and analysis.
[15611/07]
6 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason a representative from Enterprise Ireland is acting as Ireland’s representative at meetings of the European Defence Agency; the mandate given to same; and the powers vested in same to conclude agreements on behalf of the State.
[15612/07]
94 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the main review in the audit of the welfare code to ensure its compatibility with the Equal Status Act 2000 has gone to tender; if an applicant has been selected to carry out the review; and the timeframe for same.
[15326/07]
72 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measures he will take to address the concerns raised by the Committee of Public Accounts regarding family doctors who give sick certificates to persons who are later consistently found by Government medical assessors to be capable of work.
[15325/07]
231 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Finance if there has been a strategic environmental assessment of the National Development Plan; if he will carry out such an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13615/07]
56 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he questioned the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the implementation of the Water Services Bill which provides a licensing system in order that group water schemes are checked regularly and meet water quality standards in view of the fact that his Department regularly dispenses funding under the CLÁR programme for group water schemes.
[14990/07]
46 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the areas to be serviced by the proposed Nitelink buses have been chosen; the criteria used to select the areas; the amenities that will be serviced; and when the service will commence.
[14989/07]
588 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his future plans for providing guidelines under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14006/07]
587 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to make changes in the regulation of waste charges such as those operating in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown whereby the annual waste charges paid by householders availing of the council’s own service is in effect subsidising the provision of public recycling facilities that are available for use by those who use a private waste company for the collection of their domestic waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14005/07]
586 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amounts and names of those local authority senior staff who received bonus payments in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14004/07]
585 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action which is being taken regarding products returned for recycling under the WEEE regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14003/07]
584 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the details of the latest contract entered into by his Department and local authorities with a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14002/07]
582 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his reasons for failing to reduce the fees paid to legal representatives at the Mahon Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14000/07]
581 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the European Commission’s action in sending Ireland a final written warning for failing to comply fully with a 2002 European Court of Justice ruling requiring drinking water supplies to be kept free of e.coli bacteria, and a similar warning for failing to comply with a 2005 ECJ ruling requiring greater controls on polluting discharges to surface water by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13999/07]
579 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the Strategic Infrastructure Act’s implementation is being delayed by human resource issues in An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13997/07]
578 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason he has a levy on landfill and not on incineration; his views on the amounts raised by the landfill levy; the use the levy is being and will be used for; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13996/07]
519 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans, in view of water pollution difficulties in Galway City and County to provide for the multi-annual testing of septic tanks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13580/07]
518 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the embargo on local authority staff recruitment is having a detrimental affect on the quality of services and infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13579/07]
583 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the efficacy of the National Climate Change Strategy 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14001/07]
510 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to offset the carbon emissions arising from Ministerial air travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13616/07]
436 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the ownership and future plans of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13605/07]
435 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the ownership and future plans for the former Coláiste Mhuire secondary school on Parnell Square in Dublin 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13604/07]
434 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if teachers working in national schools are private employees or public servants; if they are in fact private employees answerable to the board of management of the school they work in; the reason they are denied access to the Labour Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13601/07]
366 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Transport when he expects the first passenger service on the joined up red and green Luas lines in Dublin City Centre; if passengers will be able to travel between Heuston Station and St. Stephen’s Green and vice-versa without changing trams; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13617/07]
310 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the location to which it is intended to move the Abbey Theatre; his views on whether O’Connell Street would be a more appropriate site, rather than occupying reclaimed land in one of the canal basins; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13602/07]
286 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of people employed in the collection of television licenses; their remuneration; the amount of money raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13603/07]
222 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the persons who own the hospital lands of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Elm Park, St. Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire and St. Colmcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13614/07]
221 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will make available to this Deputy a hard copy of the revised child care regulations; when copies of the regulations were made available through the Government Publications Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13613/07]
220 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of times the Adoption Board meets; the number of people who have applied in the past year to adopt; the number of people currently on the waiting list to adopt; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13612/07]