79 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will consider introducing amending legislation to deal with the anomaly whereby local authorities cannot grant individual waivers for refuse charges to persons living in private apartment blocks in light of the implications this has, particularly for elderly persons on low incomes living in such accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32659/04]
2 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to amend the legislation to provide for a national waiver system for those on low incomes who are unable to pay service charges without undue hardship, especially in view of the fact that one local authority is reported to have received legal advice that it is not entitled to provide a waiver scheme where such services have been privatised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32876/04]
36 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of recruits who have graduated from the Garda training college as full Garda members since 6 June 2002; the number of gardaí who have retired, resigned or otherwise left the force since 6 June 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32490/04]
100 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport if he has plans to alter the procedures for planning appeals for the construction of major roads projects; his views on the opinion of the National Roads Authority that the authority should have more discretion on these appeals; if he has plans to reduce the public’s right to appeal against planning decisions facilitating the construction of major roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27330/04]
71 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport the reason driving testers no longer have to examine tax discs on car windscreens to see if they are valid; his views on whether such a measure allows learner drivers to escape paying relevant motor tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32325/04]
218 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has given any further consideration to the inclusion of an institution (details supplied) within the remit of the residential institutions redress scheme; if, in relation to that institution and related matters, she has considered the contents of a newspaper article; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31867/04]
213 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will agree to the request from the National Domestic Violence Intervention Agency for €220,000 in funding for 2005; if he will address the shortfall in the agency’s funding for 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31868/04]
58 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Eastern Regional Health Authority is facing an overrun of €25 million in 2004 and the main teaching hospitals in Dublin had a deficit of €17 million for the first eight months of 2004; the steps that are being taken to address these financial problems, especially having regard to their potential impact on services for patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31554/04]
12 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the definition of the word “bed” in regard to the commitment given in the national health strategy to provide an additional 3,000 hospital beds; the number provided to date; if she will list the hospitals in each case; the number that have been provided to date in 2004; the projected number that will be provided before the end of 2004; the number of such beds that are recliners, couches and trolleys; the number of beds lost since 1997; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31555/04]
344 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when payment of one parent family allowance will be restored to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin as all documentation that has been requested has been supplied; the reason this payment was stopped in the first place; the delay in restoring this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31372/04]
147 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the introduction of a system of fines or penalty points for private radio and television companies for breaches of broadcasting regulations; if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland that such a system would be preferable to the current situation whereby the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland either writes to warn of breaches or removes licences altogether; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31251/04]
132 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when the new voice over Internet protocol technology will be available to the general public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31250/04]
80 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if the Education Welfare Board will be allocated the €6.1 million it needs in 2005 to employ 95 new staff, 87 of whom will work as education welfare officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30528/04]
20 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will reconsider the decision to close a college (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30527/04]
104 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the nature and content of meetings he had during his recent visit to Rome to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Holy See; the matters discussed with Pope John Paul II and the Secretary of State during the visit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30090/04]
8 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has agreed funding in the context of the Estimates for implementation of the recommendations of the task force on Irish emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30077/04]
331 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason funding is not being made available under the YPFSF for activities being organised for children aged under ten years; if he will widen the remit of the YPFSF to include persons under ten years; his views on whether organised activities for persons under ten years are particularly important in some neighbourhoods; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29931/04]
135 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance the response received to date by the Revenue Commissioners to the letters sent by ten top banks to around 120,000 customers warning them to regularise their tax affairs by the end of March 2004; the number of responses received; the amount collected to date; the number of such cases that have been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29848/04]
118 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance the progress made to date with regard to the commitment given in An Agreed Programme for Government to remove all persons on the national minimum wage from the tax net; the steps he intends to take to ensure that this commitment is honoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29847/04]
177 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students from each county who enrolled in 2004 as first year students at a college (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29565/04]
176 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the costs which have been incurred to date in increasing the number of first year students at a college (details supplied) in County Sligo; the estimated additional costs for this college for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29564/04]
29 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has concerns that while there is a simmering crisis for beet growers here, that animal feed produced from beet pulp is being imported; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29332/04]
35 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will provide details of the company importing the beet pulp which was found to be contaminated with bone; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29344/04]
681 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the efforts he has made to secure the required capital funding in the 2005 Estimates to fulfil the Government’s commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government 2002 to increase the output of the voluntary and co-operative housing sector to up to 4,000 homes per annum during the lifetime of the programme; if his attention has been drawn to the need and urgency to have capital funding for voluntary and co-operative housing capital increased significantly in the 2005 Estimates in view of the fact that it can take from two to three years to develop social housing projects from identifying sites to completion of houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29252/04]
115 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence the Defence Force’s current capability to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents either at home or abroad; his views on the opinion of the Army’s chief of staff that the development of such a capability should be foremost on the Defence Force’s agenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28824/04]
Bill entitled an Act to make further and better provision in relation to the preparation by planning authorities of draft development plans and the making and variation of development plans, to abolish requirements as to the payment of fees in respect of submissions or observations on applications for planning permission, to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 and to provide for related matters
259 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the breakdown by local authority area of the 80,000 houses in respect of which planning permission was released by the Government in 2002 as a result of the decision not to implement the 20% requirement for social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28523/04]
258 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to Question No. 498 of 2 November 2004, the seven local authorities that received payments in lieu; the amount in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28522/04]
257 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to Question No. 2 of 4 November 2004, the breakdown by local authority area of the 209 affordable houses and the 106 social units acquired by local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28521/04]
119 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has plans for the restructuring or reorganisation of FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28332/04]
108 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the review that has been carried out by or on his behalf in regard to the operation of the EU small business operational programme that ran from 1995 to 2001; the findings of any such review; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28333/04]
124 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will respond to proposals from the free legal aid centres for a more ordered approach to indebtedness and to persons in financial difficulty, particularly in the context of their report, An End Based on Means, published in May 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28203/04]
122 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid out by his Department since the pre-1953 pension was introduced in 2000; his views on a miscalculation of the costs of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28202/04]
378 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received an application from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for funding to carry out an improvement scheme on the Rathsallagh access road from Shanganagh Road; if he has given consideration to the application; if he will fund the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27800/04]
377 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received an application for funding to provide central heating in 200 dwellings in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County area; if he has given consideration to the request; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27799/04]
376 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received a cost plan for a proposed social housing scheme at a location (details supplied) in County Dublin; when he received the cost plan; if he has given consideration to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27798/04]
301 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a green card will be issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27893/04]
208 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the progress which has been made to protect public access and to strengthen the existing revetment at a location (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27801/04]
162 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has responded to representations from this Deputy concerning a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27914/04]
86
D’fhiafraigh Mr. Gilmore den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil aon phlean aige cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do phobail atá lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht teacht suas go dtí caighdeán teangeolaíochta a bhainfeadh stádas Gaeltachta amach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[27961/04]
75 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to introduce legislation regarding planning; the purpose and main provisions of such legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27316/04]
99 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the status of the report he has received on the health implications of waste incineration; the part of this report which plays in the formulation of the Government’s waste policy; if incineration forms part of his waste management strategy; the locations at which it is proposed to place municipal waste incinerators in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27315/04]
5 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of his Department’s Dublin-based staff who have applied through the central applications facility for decentralisation for the proposed new location for his Department at Kilkenny, New Ross and Wexford; the grades of staff who have applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27607/04]
2 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of private homes built in the State since the enactment of the Planning and Development Act 2000; the number of social housing units and affordable houses acquired to date by local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27606/04]
251 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has reached a decision on the application for a spouse visa that has been made through the Irish Embassy in Delhi on 19 October 2004 by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27507/04]
108 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received the report of the senior Garda officer who has been requested by the Commissioner to examine all matters featured in a television programme (details supplied) of 8 January 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27238/04]
82 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount paid out either in respect of court awards or out of court settlements for claims taken against members of the Garda in respect of assault, unlawful arrest or other breach of a citizen’s right in respect of 2001, 2002, 2003 and to date; the number of cases in which awards were made by the courts and the number of cases settled out of court; the number of such cases pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27237/04]
508 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of dwellings to which a levy has been attached under section 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2002; the amount of these levies which have been paid to date; the number of dwellings for which these levies have been paid; the breakdown of the number of houses and the amounts paid as between dwellings sold for more than €270,000 and those sold for less than €270,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27132/04]
507 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the matters which were discussed at the EU Environment Council meeting which was held in Luxembourg on 28 June 2004; the position taken by Ireland in respect of each item on the agenda; the outcome in respect of each item; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27131/04]
191 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport if he has sought consent from the EU Commission, under Regulation 847/2004, to negotiate and conclude a separate bilateral agreement with the United States; the response he has received from the Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26989/04]