202 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of staff within her Department who have to date volunteered for the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance on budget day; the grades of the staff concerned; the locations for which they have volunteered; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6033/04]
201 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the locations to which any part of her Department has already been decentralised; the years in which each such decentralisation took place; the total number of staff who are now employed by her Department in each such location; the number of such staff who were relocated from within her Department; the number of such staff who were transferred from other Departments; the number of such staff who were directly recruited; the total number of job changes and people changes which were required to achieve the decentralisation; the cost of the decentralisation to each such location; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6018/04]
200 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department has carried out a risk assessment of the decentralisation plans announced by the Minister for Finance on budget day, in so far as they may impact either directly or indirectly on her Department, or an agency or body operating under the aegis of her Department; when she expects to receive the risk assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6003/04]
191 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach the number of staff within his Department who have to date volunteered for the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance on budget day; the grades of the staff concerned; the locations for which they have volunteered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6032/04]
190 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach the locations to which any part of his Department has already been decentralised; the years in which each such decentralisation took place; the total number of staff who are now employed by his Department in each such location; the number of such staff who were relocated from within his Department; the number of such staff who were transferred from other Departments; the number of such staff who were directly recruited; the total number of job changes and people changes which were required to achieve the decentralisation; the cost of the decentralisation to each such location; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6017/04]
189 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach if his Department has carried out a risk assessment of the decentralisation plans announced by the Minister for Finance on budget day, in so far as they may impact either directly or indirectly on his Department, or an agency or body operating under the aegis of his Department; when he expects to receive the risk assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6002/04]
178 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on his participation in and the outcome of the meeting of the European Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers on 17 to 19 December, 2003.
[5819/04]
156 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he intends to take to ensure the safety of Irish farmed salmon following the publication of a number of reports raising concerns regarding possible contamination of farmed salmon; the steps being taken to reassure consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5820/04]
330 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of staff within his Department who have to date volunteered for the programme of decentralisation announced by the Minister for Finance on budget day; the grades of the staff concerned; the locations for which they have volunteered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6039/04]
223 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the circumstances in which the recent time extension regarding the first-time buyers grant apply; the persons who qualify for this extension of time; if there are outstanding circumstances under which a person can apply for the first-time buyers grant now; and if the Government has plans to introduce measures to help those who missed out on the first-time buyers grant when it was abolished.
[5438/04]
35 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made to date with regard to the operation of the National Educational Welfare Board; the number of staff recruited to date; the number of school attendance officers now functioning; his views on whether the resources and staffing levels are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5237/04]
30 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recent figures produced by the OECD showing this country close to the bottom of a survey on access to computers in second level education; the steps being taken to ensure that all pupils have access to computers in view of their importance in education and career opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5238/04]
150 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his legislative priorities for the new Dáil session; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4916/04]
100 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his priorities for the remainder of the Irish Presidency of the European Union; the events that are arranged by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4917/04]
101 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Irish Government, in view of recently published defects in the intelligence upon which the recent war on Iraq was based, regrets not having made a public demand for an extended time period for the UN inspectors to enable them to implement UN resolutions and avert a war.
[4188/04]
23 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself that the Government was misled regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; if the House was misled in this regard; and that advertently or inadvertently the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs was briefed on information in regard weapons of mass destruction that has proved to be false.
[4187/04]
473 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number and nature of consultations and meetings held between her Department and the Departments of Finance and of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the health boards, prior to the changes in the rent supplement eligibility rules being introduced in the 2004 Book of Estimates; if she has estimated the number of persons that may be pushed into further deprivation through the changes to the rent supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4050/04]
434 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total cost of the publication entitled, Delivering Value for People — Service Indicators in Local Authorities; the total cost of the event which was held to launch this publication; the persons who were invited to the launch; the arrangements made to publicise the event and publication, including the engagement of consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3741/04]
255 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the consideration which has been given to the accommodation needs of St. Brendan's College, Woodbrook, Bray; the plans he has to meet those needs in the short and medium terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3722/04]
250 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has been informed that the Garda Síochána has declined to process an application from a school for a vetting check on a prospective school caretaker on the grounds that Garda clearances are only issued to designated agencies, principally health boards, in respect of prospective full-time employees who may have substantial unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults; if, in view of the recent Soham case in the UK, he has plans to have schools designated for Garda vetting checks of personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3684/04]
161 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she intends to take to counter the growing trend of jobs being transferred to lower cost countries in view of the recent announcement by a company (details supplied) that it was to transfer 150 jobs from its office at Leopardstown to Poland.
[3787/04]
146 Mr. Gilmore asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she intends to take steps during her period as President of the Council of Ministers to deal with the issue of funding for, and regulation of, stem-cell research; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3783/04]
36 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence the total number of personnel from the other ranks commissioned as officers in the Defence Forces in each of the past five years; if there are plans to increase the numbers commissioned from the ranks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3291/04]
38 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence the number of official trips undertaken to date by the new Bombardier Learjet 45; the destinations in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3292/04]
318 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the EU Commission's proposals to extend the LIFE Instrument to 2005 and 2006 and for the alignment of LIFE with the Sixth Environmental Action Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3357/04]
317 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to ensure that environment and heritage issues are at the heart of European policy during the Irish Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3356/04]
162
D'fhiafraigh Mr. Gilmore den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil aon dul chun cinn déanta i leith teorainn na Gaeltachta a aistriú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[3108/04]
166
D'fhiafraigh Mr. Gilmore den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cad é go díreach seasamh a Roinne i dtaobh stádas na Gaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil oibre den Aontas Eorpach; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[3107/04]
468 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the report of the Standards in Public Office Commission into the operation of the Electoral Act; his views on whether the argument made by the commission that there is no case for increasing spending limits for general elections and its warning of the dangers of increasing donation limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2993/04]
175 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in regard to proposals for decentralisation, any survey has been undertaken to establish the number of persons employed in his Department and in boards or agencies operating under the aegis of his Department who are willing to move to the new locations announced by the Minister for Finance in his budget speech; the results of any such survey; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2854/04]
164 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the importance of ensuring the integrity of the new electronic voting system which dictates that the machines and their operating software should be subject to the most rigorous and comprehensive testing regime and that political and other considerations would suggest a strong case for independent validation of such testing before the machines are brought into use at elections, he intends to commission such an independent validation system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2853/04]
138 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reasons he did not act in almost one third of the cases in which he had been urged by his Department's heritage officials to appeal planning cases to An Bord Pleanála, the reason he has decided to deal with this matter personally rather than leave such issues to officials who have knowledge and experience in this area and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2992/04]
56 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by the DPP that he is unable to investigate the vast majority of files he receives from the Garda Complaints Board due to the fact that the time limit for summary prosecution has already expired; the steps he is taking to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2431/04]
36 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps being taken to reduce the access to and use by criminals of firearms, in view of the fact that the number of murders involving the use of such weapons has increased from four in 1998 to 21 in 2003; the steps he intends to take to ensure that those using such weapons are brought to justice in view of the fact that proceedings have been commenced in respect of only four of the murders in which firearms were used in 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2432/04]
203 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the Government's plans for the future ownership structure of Aer Lingus; when a final decision will be made on this question; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2114/04]
139 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport his plans to publish the promised discussion paper on the future of the Aer Lingus landing slots at Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2115/04]
1016
D'fhiafraigh Mr. Gilmore den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé i gceist obair feabhsúcháin a dhéanamh ar an ché ag Rannaigh, Oileán Árainn Mhór, Co. Dhún na nGall.
[2016/04]
1015
D'fhiafraigh Mr. Gilmore den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil sé in ann deontas a chur ar fáil i mbliana faoi chlár na mbóithre straitéise le feabhsúchán a dhéanamh ar an bhóthar go hAerphort Idirnáisiúnta Dhún na nGall ag Carraig Fhinn, Cionn Caslach, Co. Dhún na nGall.
[2015/04]
981 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, having regard to the judgment of the Supreme Court in a case given on 29 November 2002, consequential amendments to the legislation governing presidential elections is envisaged; and when it is proposed to introduce that legislation.
[1767/04]
955 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he received any requests for the provision of personnel or equipment from Irish fire and emergency services to assist in rescue work at the recent earthquake in Bam, Iran; the response he gave to such requests; if any assistance was provided from the Irish fire services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1465/04]
954 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the nature and extent of Ireland's participation in the EU Civil Protection Agency; the commitments which have been entered into to date to provide personnel, equipment or management expertise to the agency or to any of its operations; the arrangements which have been made with the fire authorities in this country for such participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1464/04]
947 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it will be necessary for Ireland to establish a storage facility for disused high activity sealed radioactive sources; the date by which such a facility must be established; the consideration if any which has been given to possible locations for such a facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1379/04]
946 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress being made during his EU Presidency to reach agreement on a proposed Council directive setting out basic obligations and general principles on the safety of nuclear installations and on the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
615 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his policy regarding a proposed merger of the Dublin Port Company and the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company; the initiatives which have been taken by his Department concerning such a merger; the rationale for such a merger; the person or company who has been consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2209/04]
611 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department will resume payments of grants towards the cost of currach building, purchase of outboard engines and fishing gear, to inshore fishermen in the Gaeltacht areas, the grant aid for which was suspended by Údarás na Gaeltachta some months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2014/04]
574 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress being made to provide new primary schools at Glencairn, Leopardstown, County Dublin, and at the Landsdowne and Old Wesley site, Kilgobbin, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2226/04]
528 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in regard to the provision of a new school (details supplied) following the recent meeting between the board of management and Department officials; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2013/04]
422 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide the funding necessary to establish a CABAS school in south Dublin for children who are affected by autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1307/04]
188 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the serious concern about the disclosure on the recent “Prime Time” programme that up to 14,000 people may be killed or injured each year as a result of medical negligence and the problems that patients face in securing satisfaction when mistakes occur; if he will now expedite the introduction of the medical practitioners Bill to provide a more effective mechanism for complaints to be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1892/04]
178 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children if the terms of reference of the inquiry to be chaired by Judge Maureen Harding-Clarke into the activities of the former Drogheda obstetrician (details supplied) have yet been finalised; when the inquiry will begin; the form it will take; when he expects it to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1891/04]