55 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken to implement the programme for Government commitment to review the level of fines and sentences which can be applied by the lower courts in the cases of pollution and dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10145/09]
79 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the preparations for the hand-over of the command of Irish troops in Chad from EUFOR to the UN on 15 March 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9764/09]
71 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence if there will be a change in the role of Irish troops serving in Chad as a result of the recent decision to transfer command of the operation from the EU to the UN; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9763/09]
149 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of funding that was provided to inter-county GAA players to afford parity of esteem with other elite amateur athletes in 2008; the amount he proposes to provide in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9341/09]
110 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on a refusal (details supplied) by the Central Statistics Office to provide information in view of the fact that he referred this Deputy’s original parliamentary question to the CSO and that his Department provided these figures prior to the CSO taking over the function; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9343/09]
81 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Finance the legal firm which advised Anglo Irish Bank and the ten investors that the borrowing arrangements entered into were legal and above board; if that legal firm is still in the employment of Anglo Irish Bank or any of its clients; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9342/09]
48 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the criteria by which she is judging the affordability of rent for persons on rent supplement; and the savings she will make on expenditure on rent supplement.
[9271/09]
52 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress in reviewing the mortgage interest supplement; and her plans to amend this scheme to allow more people qualify.
[9270/09]
124 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will repatriate a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9212/09]
68 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applications received for the provision of funding under the CLÁR programme in respect of the past two years; the number received to date in 2009; the amount of funding drawn down in each year; if there is a waiting list; the number of such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8950/09]
67 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions taken to date to highlight the dangers of the use of cocaine as a result of the national advisory committee on drugs report indicating the use of the illicit substance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8951/09]
368 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason he proposes a complete ban on eel fishing here for 90 years in his Department’s national management plan; if he will proceed with the proposal in view of the fact that no other EU member state proposes a similar ban; if he will revisit the issue of eel fishing conservation in consultation with representatives of the eel fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8348/09]
273 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that non-governmental organisations are concerned with the reduction in the overseas development aid budget and that the global crisis impacts most adversely on the poorest countries; if he will give a commitment that there will be no further cuts in overseas development aid; if he will ensure that NGO’s are given priority in the distribution of the overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8537/09]
236 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will arrange for the parole board to meet a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8349/09]
74 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the reason for the delay in the national audit of sports facilities which was originally promised in the programme for Government 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8528/09]
40 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if the State Examinations Commission has had problems recruiting a sufficient number of examiners to conduct the leaving certificate oral tests in Spanish and Italian; the financial arrangements offered to potential examiners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7920/09]
23 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department is carrying out a survey on the teaching activities of staff in the university sector; if it has been done by the staff of his Department or within the universities themselves; if it is by way of questionnaire or interview; if he will provide a copy of the questionnaire used to conduct this survey; the terms of reference for this survey; if and when the results will be published in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7919/09]
108 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the Central Statistics Office crime figures for 2008; his views on the continued increase in the number of drug offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7585/09]
72 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the main provisions of the policing priorities for the Garda published by him on 2 December 2008; the way it is intended that the gardaí will target serious crime and in particular, organised crime; if he is satisfied that cuts in Garda overtime will not impede effective policing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7586/09]
111 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of redundancies notified to her Department in respect of each year from 2002 to 2008 and to date in 2009; the number of projected redundancies for 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7259/09]
110 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of money paid out in statutory redundancy payments in respect of each year from 2002 to 2008; the projected figure for 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7260/09]
208 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will ensure all the people in direct provision are facilitated in registering for the local elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6747/09]
62 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in the availability of social workers at weekends for vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6536/09]
17 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she is reconsidering the decision to postpone the introduction of the proposed HPV vaccine programme for 12 year old girls; her views on whether the original estimate of its cost can be reduced and that it is a relatively small amount of money in the overall budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6537/09]
158 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will implement the findings of the Mental Health Commission report, The Economics of Mental Health Care in Ireland, which estimates that poor mental health costs the country €3 billion each year; if she will find the promised €25 million for mental health services to achieve the goals of A Vision for Change; if she will implement the recommendations of the health and children sub-committee’s report on the adverse side effect of pharmaceuticals; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6461/09]
68 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Finance the proposals under development in his Department to establish a new State enterprise agency to provide financial support, whether through equity participation or otherwise, to companies adversely affected by the economic downturn; if there are similar proposals to channel such financial support through an existing State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6368/09]
501 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in building a permanent school for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 7; if he will replace the four worst prefabs in the meantime; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5767/09]
484 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science his proposals for a new residential development for blind and visually impaired children at a centre (details supplied) in Dublin 9.
[5623/09]
305 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the criteria for appointment to membership of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6090/09]
299 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will grant a visa to a person (details supplied) to visit Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5770/09]
298 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the circumstances under which remission of sentence is granted to male and female prisoners; if he proposes to change the period of remission from a quarter to one third; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5768/09]
296 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of cases which have been taken to the European Court of Human Rights since Ireland transposed the European Convention of Human Rights into law in 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5726/09]
295 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5725/09]
251 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 has not been given an appointment date by BreastCheck; the average length of waiting time for women over 50 years in the Dublin area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6091/09]
246 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if legal guardians must give joint consent to medical treatment for a child as appears to be the interpretation of section 6(1) of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 or if the Health Service Executive is correct in stating that consent is required from only one person with parental responsibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6030/09]
223 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will review the circumstances of a case (details supplied) with a view to resolving the custody issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5769/09]
213 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the percentage increase in annual subscription for each of the health plans provided by the VHI in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5727/09]
200 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 has not received their medical card despite supplying the information on numerous occasions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5624/09]
122 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received a reply from the National Employment Rights Authority and the Health and Safety Authority in response to Parliamentary Question No. 144 of 9 December 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5622/09]
113 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport when he will bring forward legislation to reform the 1932 bus licensing law; the new measures the proposed new bus legislation will contain; the way he will reform the bus licensing system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5804/09]
106 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport when he will appoint the new chief executive officer for the Dublin Transport Authority; the estimated date for the full operation of the DTA; the annual running costs of the organisation; when he plans to introduce the Public Transport Regulation Bill to transform the DTA into a national transport regulator; the impact this will have on transport planning for the greater Dublin Area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5805/09]
72 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is proposed that, as has become customary, the Taoiseach is to travel to the United States over the St Patrick’s Day 2009 period; if it is envisioned that he will meet the new US President on such a trip; if it is further proposed to discuss the issue of the undocumented Irish in the USA at that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5206/09]
50 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of his visit to Syria and Lebanon; the discussions which were held and the persons with whom they were held; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5207/09]
232 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5166/09]
216 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will ensure that there is sufficient closed circuit television coverage to deter crime in Sheriff Street, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5165/09]
126 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the initiatives he has taken and will take to secure an appropriate level of price support for the dairy sector in order to prevent a situation in 2009 in view of the fact that the support granted to date has had no impact on market prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4875/09]
125 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the percentage of farmers due a REP scheme four payment who have been paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4874/09]
356 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the budgetary provisions for the tackling of drugs and crime by the Garda, the national drugs strategy, the local drugs task forces and the community projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4477/09]
300 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 is waiting for a back injury operation in the Mater Hospital for some considerable time; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4478/09]
137 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Taoiseach the number of non-nationals employed here in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3934/09]