249 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the European Court of Justice judgment delivered on 3 October 2006 on Case C-17/05; the possible implications of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32121/06]
214 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in cases of applications for naturalisation, an applicant had been employed in the public service in the country of origin prior to applying for naturalisation here, such employment has a favourable impact on the application for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31491/06]
213 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is permissible for a person who has applied for naturalisation to leave the State for short periods while the application is being processed; if leaving the State for such short periods would in any way prejudice the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31490/06]
125 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he expects the review of means tests currently being undertaken by his Department to be completed; when this review was begun; when the previous work was completed on the central means database as referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 265 of 10 May 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31857/06]
106 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department has concluded consultations on the proposed new parental allowance as outlined in the Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents; if he has received the final National Economic and Social Council report on its research into a proposed second tier payment; the plans he has to introduce both these new payments for low income families; the proposed timescale for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32084/06]
103 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has completed his review of the Pensions Board report on mandatory pensions systems; if he has made recommendations to Government on the report; if not, when he expects to be in a position to do same; the actions he will take on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32083/06]
174 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on issuing guidelines to vocational education committees and county council higher education grants awarding bodies requesting that they be more flexible in the closing dates regarding applications for third level grants; if she will allow such grants to be backdated in the case of late applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31367/06]
166 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which farmers who do not fit into either category A or category B will be treated under the single farm payment scheme and the various categories in the 2006 National Reserve; if force majeure will be applied especially where people had land leased in 2005; if it is possible for 2005 entitlements to be topped up; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31447/06]
142 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if in the situation regarding rent allowance payments to persons in receipt of the back to education allowance who also, under the terms of the back to education allowance, take up part-time employment, he will consider for the duration of the course freezing the rent supplement allowance amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31366/06]
184 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to introduce a national waste waiver system through local authorities for low income households; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31003/06]
136 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he will take to ensure that all local authorities build an adequate amount of social or affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31004/06]
533 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if work has begun on the reform of the disabled persons grant scheme; his Department’s progress to date; the way he will improve the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31099/06]
532 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to introduce national guidelines regarding the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31098/06]
504 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science with regard to the provisions in Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 dealing with assessment of need and statement of services, if the plan being drawn up by the National Council for Special Education regarding implementation of Part 2 in tandem with the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 has been completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31096/06]
477 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the increasing numbers in a primary school (details supplied) in east Cork; the consideration she has given to construct a permanent extension to the school to accommodate the growth in pupil numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30689/06]
413 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with regard to the new state pension, the impact earnings of €100 per week from insurable employment will have on the pension rate payable to a pension with €35,000 capital in the bank and no other means; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31102/06]
412 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with regard to the €100 income disregard of the new state pension, the breakdown of the way income above this amount will be assessed by his Department and used to decrease the pension rate payable; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31101/06]
411 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with regard to the new state pension, if the increase in weekly means disregard from €7.60 to €20.00 necessitated a change in the means assessment calculations; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31100/06]
410 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with regard to the new non-contributory state pension, if there has been a change in the maximum amount of capital a pensioner with absolutely no other means can have and still qualify for a pension at the maximum rate; if there has been a change in the maximum amount of capital a pensioner couple with absolutely no other means can have and qualify for a pension at the maximum rate; if so, the breakdown of how capital is now being assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31097/06]
403 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has had contact with any group that supports fathers; the support that his Department makes available to any such group; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30776/06]
399 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measure and controls his Department and transport operators participating in the free travel scheme have in place to combat fraud; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30687/06]
398 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his plans to expand the free travel scheme to allow free travel pass holders to purchase return train tickets; the reason free travel pass holders are not allowed return tickets; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30687/06]
397 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the travel restrictions in place for free travel pass holders in comparison to other public transport users; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30686/06]
338 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children with regard to the provisions in Part 2 of the Disability Act, 2005 dealing with assessment of need and statement of services, if the plan for the implementation of same for children aged 5 to 18 has been completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31095/06]
290 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of new childcare places for school-going children which became available under the equal opportunities childcare programme initiative to develop school-age childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30682/06]
226 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 412 of 20 June 2006, the stage the planning procedures and assessment of environment and other related issues regarding the construction of a bridge to Spike Island are at; when a planning notice is expected to be lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30684/06]
225 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 412 of 20 June 2006, the estimated construction cost of the proposed new bridge to Spike Island; when construction is expected to begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30683/06]
137 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Question No. 63 of 8 June 2006, if the draft National Women’s Strategy has been finalised; if not, when he expects it to be completed; the names of the groups or organisations involved in the external consultation process; the areas covered by the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30681/06]
135 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Question No. 476 of 27 June 2006, if a public consultation process has begun on the proposed development of new prison facilities on Spike Island; if not, when he expects public consultations to begin; the details of these consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30680/06]
89 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Transport the status of the phase 2 and phase 3 contracts planned as public private partnerships for the upgrade of the M50; if he will clarify if either of these two contracts have yet been signed; and if he will indicate the anticipated completion date of all M50 upgrade works.
[29720/06]
1538 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount made available to each city and county council under the Local Improvement Scheme each year since 2000 to date; the amount that has been returned unspent from each of the local authorities concerned; his plans for the coming year with regard to funding under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29741/06]
1537 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the data which is now available in relation to the overall expenditure by local authorities on the disabled persons and essential repairs grants schemes in 2005; the amount that was made available to each local authority under the schemes; the amount expended by the respective local authorities in 2005; the amount unspent by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29637/06]
1536 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the review of the disabled person’s and essential repairs grant schemes has been completed; the findings and recommendations of the review and, if not completed, to say when he expects it to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29636/06]
1419 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils who enrolled in junior infants in ordinary classes in September in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively; the breakdown of the ages of the pupils concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29964/06]
1394 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the higher education grant application forms are not made available on line in a downloadable form; if she will ensure that these forms are made available on line in future years so that they can be downloaded; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29737/06]
1217 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions has called on her Department to re-examine issues relating to the Early Retirement Scheme; the issues involved and any action she intends to take on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29794/06]
1120 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Transport the reason New Zealand is not a recognised State for the purpose of driving licence exchange under the terms of Article 30(7) of the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 1999, thereby preventing people holding a valid driving licence from New Zealand from exchanging their licence for an Irish driving licence when they take up residence here without the need for a driving test; the plans he has to amend the regulations to include holders of such licences to be recognised here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29806/06]
1053 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the backlog in processing respite grant applications still exists; if so, the number of claims outstanding; when a decision will be made on the outstanding applications; the efforts his Department has made or is making to address the delay in processing applications; the additional contact his Department has had with these applicants in relation to the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29966/06]
1052 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications for the respite grant to date in 2006; the number of applications which have not been processed and awarded; the average time it is currently taking his Department to process respite grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29965/06]
1051 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the involvement of the Government in the proceedings relating to European Court Opinion Case C-278/05; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29963/06]
1050 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on European Court Opinion C-278/05 of 13 July 2006; the implications of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29962/06]
1049 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with reference to his Department’s sectoral plan and the development of a Sign Language Interpretation Service, when he expects to be in a position to provide this service for deaf people and people who are hard of hearing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29960/06]
1048 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with reference to his Department’s sectoral plan and the development of a Sign Language Interpretation Service, if a service model has been proposed and developed; if not, when he expects the development of a service model to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29959/06]
1047 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with reference to his Department’s sectoral plan and the development of a Sign Language Interpretation Service, if the proposed briefing sessions with key stakeholders have been completed; if not, when he expects the briefing sessions to conclude; the key stakeholders taking part in the briefing sessions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29958/06]
1046 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with reference to his Department’s sectoral plan and the development of a Sign Language Interpretation Service, when he received the consultants report on the subject; if he has completed his consideration of the report and recommendations; if not, when he expects to have same completed; the conclusions he has come to as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29957/06]
1045 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if all phases of the review of qualifying contributions for old age contributory pensions have been fully completed; the conclusions of same with particular respect to the homemakers scheme and retrospection issues; the changes that have been made or will be made as a result of these conclusions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29954/06]
1033 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the review of the administration of the habitual residence condition has been completed; if so, the main findings of this review; the decisions that he has taken or plans to take as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29805/06]
547 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance the number of claimants and the percentage take-up of tax relief on bin charges in 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively; the amount of relief approved under this scheme for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29968/06]
537 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance the number who received the Centenarians Bounty in 2004, 2005 and to date in 2006; the total amount expended in each respective year; the number of those that have been paid to date to Irish people living outside the state; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29643/06]
201 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children her view on whether the equal opportunities child care programme was successful in improving quality in the child care sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22213/06]