222 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the additional direction she has given and the contact she has had with the city and county child care committees in respect of the voluntary notification system for childminders who wish to avail of the new childminding relief scheme since its introduction in budget 2006; the additional staff that have been employed by the child care committees to deal with notifications; the functions of these staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13432/06]
153 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her Department has responsibility for youth affairs; if so, the interaction between her Department and the Minster for youth affairs in the Department of Education and Science; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13439/06]
152 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the functions, remit and responsibilities of the Minister for Health and Children and the Office of the Minister for Children; the Department the office receives funding from; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13438/06]
74 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he has taken on the international stage to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13024/06]
132 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the negotiations which his Department has undertaken with relevant non-governmental organisations with regard to the proposals to decentralise Irish Aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13004/06]
222 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is his policy to treat both parents of Irish born nationals who themselves are foreign nationals in an equal way when deciding on residency here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12777/06]
171 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the various recommendations made in the October 1998 report, Review of the Carer’s Allowance; the recommendations which have been accepted as valid by him or his predecessors; the status of the progress made or planned for each of the recommendations so accepted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12624/06]
127 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 26 January 2006, if the additional occupational therapy support and speech therapy support has been made available to the person concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12776/06]
126 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will arrange for medication which has been prescribed to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has Parkinson’s disease to be covered under the long-term illness assistance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12775/06]
103 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the average number of persons receiving nursing home subvention each year since 1994; the number of persons who received a subvention at any time since 1994; and the number of applicants for nursing home subventions in that period; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12634/06]
102 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the maximum rate of nursing home subvention available on 1 June in each year since 1994; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12633/06]
101 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the proportion of applications for nursing home subvention that qualifies for more than 50% of the maximum possible allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12632/06]
100 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the proportions of applications for nursing home subvention that are typically deemed as high, medium and maximum dependency by the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12631/06]
99 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Health Service Executive does not make allowances for VHI, BUPA and so on contributions in assessing the means of applicants for nursing home subvention; if the elderly are wise to continue making such contributions in view of the fact that the Health Service Executive view such contributions as not allowable under various means tests operated by the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12630/06]
98 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the average interval that a person can expect to wait before receiving services from occupational and physiotherapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12629/06]
97 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of occupational therapists and physiotherapists employed in different regions by the Health Service Executive who work mainly in supporting the needs of the elderly who are not in institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12628/06]
96 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the average time taken to process home improvement grants awarded to the elderly by the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12627/06]
95 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the average amount awarded by the Health Service Executive and health boards by way of home improvement grants; the main types of improvement covered by such grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12626/06]
94 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of grants awarded to elderly persons for home improvement grants by the Health Service Executive and health boards by county in the most recent complete calendar year for which data is available; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12625/06]
68 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance if he has or will consider extending the €10,000 income tax exemption for self-employed childminders to other workers in the child care sector in view of the relatively low salaries for persons working in this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12546/06]
24 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to reduce tax on sales of biofuel cars and biofuels as an incentive to persons wishing to develop the biofuel industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12547/06]
237 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her reason for failing to promote bio-energy crops as an alternative for beet growers here in view the success of the bio-energy ethanol crop industry as an alternative for the sugar crop in Brazil which devotes over 50 per cent of its crop to bio-energy production; the action she intends to take to assist the development of the bio-energy crops here; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12564/06]
236 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on the fact that almost half of the cars in Brazil are flexi-fuel cars, which allow owners to switch fuel between ethanol and petrol; her plans to develop bio-energy crops here and assist beet farmers to continue to grow beet for use as a bio-energy crop; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[2488/06]
117 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress she has made in promoting the production of bioenergy crops as a viable alternative for beet growers following the announcement of the closure of the sugar plant in Mallow; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12183/06 ]
54 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress her Department is making, in consultation with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in considering the advice received from Teagasc in relation to phosphorous and nitrogen limits with regard to the derogation of part three of the nitrates directive; when it is expected the negotiations with the Commission to be resumed in relation to derogation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12182/06]
65 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence the protections in place to enable members of the Reserve Defence Forces who are in employment to return to their employment once their overseas duties are complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11766/06]
45 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence if legislation is required to enable members of the Reserve Defence Force who are selected for overseas duties to return to their previous employment once their service overseas has been completed; if so, when he expects to introduce this legislation; if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11767/06]
167 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in the case of a foreign national marrying an Irish citizen and where the marriage fails, the attitude his Department takes to the permission to reside here previously granted to the foreign national; the situation where Irish born children are involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11448/06]
32 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has read the CEO Pulse 2006 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11350/06]
213 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the plight of contractors and hauliers; the action she intends to take to assist these persons following the closure announcement of the sugar processing plant in Mallow; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11325/06]
157 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Finance the way in which child minders can avail of the €10,000 income disregard recently announced as part of the Government’s child care package; the number of child minders he estimates will avail of this scheme in the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11324/06]
135 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the extra functions that child care committees will have to fulfil following the announcement of the Government’s new child care package especially with regard to child minders in the home who wish to avail of the €10,000 income disregard; the procedures in place or to be put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11326/06]
68 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to allow holders of free travel passes to access hackney services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10941/06]
60 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of carers who currently receive the carer’s allowance; the number of carers; the cost of abolishing the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10940/06]
716 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of applications received under Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools; the schools offered the programme to date; the variables used in deciding which schools will be designated under this new programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10053/06]
588 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the single payment scheme; the reason a payment has not been issued to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10830/06]
479 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his progress, to date, on implementing a flexible working hours system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11118/06]
471 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who work on the lo-call number for information regarding pensions in his Department; if the staff have targets regarding the time it takes to deal with the public who ring the helpline; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many elderly people wait inordinate lengths of time to get through to the information officers; the steps he intends to take to improve this customer service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10716/06]
467 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the breakdown of the poverty rates for each county here; the number of children who are at risk of poverty or living in consistent poverty for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10622/06]
466 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cost of his Department’s investigation into welfare fraud in 2004 and 2005; the number of staff involved in the investigation; the number of hours these staff spent investigating cases and the cost of same in 2004 and 2005; the number of people investigated and the number of people prosecuted; the total amount recouped by his Department from successful prosecutions; the expected cost to his Department of investigations into social welfare fraud in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10621/06]
465 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the discussions he has had or intends to have with the Department of Health and Children on the issue of young carers and the problems they are faced with; the outcome of such discussions; the action he intends to take to provide support and assistance to young carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10620/06]
464 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the discussions he has had or intends to have with the Minister for Education and Science on the issue of young carers and the problems they are faced with; the outcome of such discussions; the action he intends to take to provide support and assistance to young carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10618/06]
472 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of carers claims that ceased in the most recent complete year due to the death of the person being cared for, the admission of that person to an institution, a change of residence of that person, a recovery in the ability of person being cared for, the carer's own death, the carer's incapacity, the carer ceasing to act as with another person applying to become carer, an increase in the carers assessable means, and all other reasons.
[10718/06]
457 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the average age of carers at the time of application; the proportion of carers aged under 40 years, under 55 years and under 60 years when they first apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10345/06]
456 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the proportion of carers who are known to have resumed employment or transferred to another social welfare payment within three months of when their entitlement to carer’s benefit or allowance ceased in the most recent 12 months for which data is readily available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10344/06]
455 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount saved by the operation of the means test for the carer’s allowance in the most recent complete year for which data is available; the percentages of that amount that are attributable to the carer’s own income from earnings and self-employment, the carer’s own income from other sources, the carer’s own investments, the means of the person’s spouse and other item of means; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10343/06]
277 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation pertaining in the different Health Service Executive areas regarding refunds or payments of travel expenses in cases where older people are unable to use or avail of public transport and where they are obliged to attend for medical appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10916/06]
167 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of hospital beds in each Health Service Executive area dedicated exclusively to adolescents at present; her plans and timescale for same to increase this number; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10272/06]
166 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the structure of the child and adolescent psychiatric services in each Health Service Executive area as described in Question No. 233 of 31 January 2006; the number awaiting services in each respective area; the number awaiting assessment in each respective area; her plans to further expand the services available; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10271/06]
278 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding zero hour contracts where home helps are concerned; her plans to end zero hour contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10917/06]