625 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will introduce legislation which will oblige businesses that deliver large household items such as white goods and furniture to private houses to remove the packaging for reuse or recycling; his views on whether payment into a packaging waste compliance scheme does not sufficiently encourage a reduction in such packaging; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30519/07]
666 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is his intention that the allocation of funding for new house starts in 2008 will be sent to individual councils that is, town councils, borough councils, city councils and county councils or if it if his intention that the money be issued to the county councils to be disbursed by them; if the latter, his views on whether this is in contravention of his stated objective for the devolution of powers and of subsidiarity and that any such change is a departure from the traditional system and a removal of another power as housing authority from town councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31179/07]
500 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Science when her Department will complete the building of a new national school at Ballygarvan, County Cork; if her attention has been drawn to the overcrowded conditions in the existing school; if she will explain what is impeding progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30778/07]
485 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Science when she will appoint a design team for the construction of a new national school in Ballintemple, County Cork, an area of rapid population growth; the completion date for same; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that nine families from the parish could not be offered junior infant places for 2008, that junior infant places are greatly over subscribed for 2009 and 2010 and that a suitable site has been donated which has been adjudged by the planning and building unit of her Department as being suitable for a new 12 classroom school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30706/07]
468 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in advancing the refurbishment of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the action she will take to advance this long standing matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30569/07]
264 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that acute orthopaedic services have been severely downgraded in the past 12 months in the Health Service Executive South Region (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31209/07]
63 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on breaches of the European Union code of conduct that have led to the export of arms by member states of the Union to regimes guilty of gross violations of human rights.
[30868/07]
55 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if her attention has been drawn to the impact scarce seed supplies are having on farming; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30087/07]
27 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the Bord Bia survey indicating consumer preference for home-grown produce and her Department’s acknowledgement of this fact she will take steps to ensure the country of origin is clearly stated on all food products; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30086/07]
107 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children when she expects that national standards on private nursing homes as announced by HIQA in August 2007 will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29966/07]
84 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children the action taken on foot of the investigation carried out by the Joint Committee on Health and Children into orthodontic services; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29989/07]
74 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of assessments that have been requested under part two of the Disability Act 2005 since it became law on 1 June 2007; the number of assessment reports that have been completed; if complaints have been lodged regarding assessment reports; the measures that have been implemented to raise public awareness of the right to an assessment under the Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29021/07]
62 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will take cognisance of the adverse effect of the poor summer weather on the cider production industry when considering an increase in excise duty on alcohol; his views on existing and potential employment and the importance of apple growing as a farm enterprise; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29020/07]
32 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on calls for a functional separation of Eircom’s business rather than a full structural split of its network and its retail arms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28969/07]
8 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the legal action threatened by Eircom over the Government development of MANs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28970/07]
135 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that children diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes who are denied comprehensive treatment at Cork University Hospital due to the recruitment embargo must await the outcome of the 2008 Estimates process to establish if improvement in service is planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28878/07]
94 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he plans to review local authority electoral area boundaries in advance of the next local elections particularly having regard to the significant population changes experienced in many areas since the boundaries were last reviewed in 1998 and the need for certainty in regard to the areas, with elections now less than two years away; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28676/07]
64 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will initiate a new motor tax compliance survey as the last survey in 2001 indicated an uncollected tax amount of €25 million; when vehicles imported by non-Irish nationals working here become liable for motor tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28677/07]
37 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will correlate the census to the electoral register at a future date; the way he will reconcile the major discrepancies between the draft register of electors and the census figures in advance of the forthcoming local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28712/07]
519 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of call-outs made in 2006 by both retained and full-time fire services in response to domestic chimney fires; if his Department requires qualifications or standards of companies or individuals who provide chimney cleaning services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26713/07]
517 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on making statutory provision for the naming of estates by requiring local authorities to appoint naming committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25891/07]
518 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to local authorities using alternative energy systems in local authority houses; if there are plans to do so; if he will bring in guidelines and instructions on the matter for local authorities in line with overall policy of 40% alternative energy for private houses before 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26144/07]
491 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if legislation governing management companies will facilitate the transfer in newly completed housing estates of responsibility for essential public services such as water, sewage, roads, lighting and common open spaces to the control of the local authority and restrict the use of management companies in traditional housing estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28131/07]
162 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if there is a statutory requirement for community welfare officers to retain records in regard to rent allowance payments; the period that such records must be kept for; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28228/07]
161 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is intended that the payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the health repayment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28227/07]
160 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the third part-time nurse urgently required at the paediatric unit at Cork University Hospital cannot take up the post as their replacement is embargoed; and her views on the long-term consequences of the lack of early treatment for the 275 children diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes who attend the unit.
[28226/07]
159 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if it is intended that multi-annual budgeting will be introduced by the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28225/07]
138 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in the event of the death of a general practitioner, a patient must await the appointment of a new permanent doctor before transferring to another panel and that this creates the anomaly that the transfer may take considerably longer than the normal three month period required to transfer to a new doctor; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28048/07]
99 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to fact that applicants for secondary school places are usually required to accompany their application with a non-refundable fee; her views on whether unsuccessful applicants should have this fee refunded; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27053/07]
98 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Science, in respect of the average annual cost of a primary school teacher as being €60,000 per annum, as per her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 418 of 5 April 2007, the capital cost in today’s money values of 40 years service and an average pension of 25 years after retirement including the retirement lump sum; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28470/07]
50 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the recent joint exercise in Sweden by members of the Defence Forces with troops from other countries in Europe; the number of troops involved; if further such exercises are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27733/07]
21 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Defence the proposed review of the duties carried out by personnel on naval vessels in order to address morale problems among sailors who have to spend long periods at sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27734/07]
108 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the Judicial Council Bill is expected to be published; the consultation he has had with members of the Judiciary regarding the contents of the Bill; his views, in view of a recent case, on whether there is still no procedure for dealing with breaches of conduct by judges apart from the impeachment process provided for under the Constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27373/07]
72 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in relation to the Human Trafficking Bill, he will include comprehensive victim protection provisions in a dedicated Human Trafficking Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26892/07]
216 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has been notified in relation to an incident (details supplied); if he has raised concerns in this regard with the Dublin Airport Authority; if he has requested a report on the incident from the authorities; if he has received such a report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26938/07]
99 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the persons who are the members of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration and by whom are they appointed; the qualifying criteria applied to appointments; the period of tenure; the emoluments, including expenses, paid to members of the Review Body and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26881/07]
81 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she plans to launch an initiative to support the International Year of the Potato by the UN in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27081/07]
68 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she plans to address the anomalies in the REP scheme where commonage land does not qualify for the mixed grazing supplementary top-up of €1000; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27082/07]
36 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position of the rural enterprise development as promised in the Programme for Government; the areas that are proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26512/07]
6 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position on the registration of mobile phones in regard to drug crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26513/07]
136 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cross-Departmental practices and procedures in place to ensure that welfare recipients with benefits such as medical cards or differential rents are not disadvantaged by improvements in welfare rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26285/07]
90 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the timeframe envisaged for the completion of his Department’s technical review of the entire social welfare code to examine its compatibility with the Equal Status Act 2000; his views on the recommendation of the Law Reform Commission that same sex co-habitants should be treated in the same way as opposite-sex cohabitants for social welfare payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26286/07]
52 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps being taken to provide multi-annual funding to the Arts Council as stated in the agreed programme for Government; if this will include a guarantee to increase Arts Council funding to €100 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25656/07]
263 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if legislation governing management companies will facilitate the transfer in newly completed housing estates of responsibility for essential public services such as water, sewage, roads, lighting and common open spaces to the control of the local authority and restrict the use of management companies in traditional housing estates.
[24730/07]
133 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action being taken to implement the commitment in the Programme for Government that steps will be taken to ensure that prices of goods are labelled and transparent in order that the consumer is well informed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25387/07]
87 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on reports of recent increases of up to 22% in a range of food prices and forecasts that food prices will rise further by the end of 2007; if he is satisfied that sufficient protection is available to protect consumers against unwarranted price increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25386/07]
513 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will introduce the governing legislation for management companies and appoint a regulator of management companies to regulate all management companies, oblige vendors to provide clear information about the levels, changes in fee levels and the duration of the management company contract, and compel service providers to give detailed invoices for services supplied.
[24730/07]
43 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport if he has made a decision in respect of the proposal by the office of the taxi commissioner for the introduction of a subsidy scheme to assist with the purchase of wheelchair accessible taxis and hackneys; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24274/07]
25 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the establishment of an independent Cork Airport; the way the debt associated with this process is to be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24280/07]
129 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health and Children her plans, in view of the investigation into breast cancer treatment in Barringtons and other concerns with regard to quality control in privately run health institutions, to ensure that standards and quality in private health care are monitored to protect patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[24012/07]