204 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if an inquiry has been established into the treatment and death of a person (details supplied); the findings of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20617/08]
118 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the legal standing of guidelines in relation to planning issued by his Department; the guidelines that have been issued by his office since he took office; and the legal standing of these guidelines.
[20777/08]
140 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the new service indicators for the taking in charge of estates being introduced in 2008; and the data they will return.
[20776/08]
34 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding the replacement of three of the older Naval Service vessels between the present date and 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20157/08]
29 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence the effect the Lisbon treaty will have on Irish neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20155/08]
269 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the level of funding for domestic violence allocated by the State in each of the past ten years; the number and location of refuges funded or part funded by the Government; if there are proposals to increase the State funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20111/08]
119 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the cost for the provision of grants and scholarships for the 68,500 third level students as indicated in the annual output statement 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19712/08]
137 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reintroduce supports and incentives to encourage young farmers to stay in agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19625/08]
104 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will support the European Commission proposal to give free fruit and vegetables to school children throughout the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19624/08]
26 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount spent by the local drugs task forces to date for each area; the amount allocated by his Department; the number employed in each task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18815/08]
172 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will establish a working group to reform the law to ensure that transgendered people are given recognition by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18753/08]
123 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she is taking to deal with the oversight in her Department’s guidelines in relation to the application of EU regulations to the entitlement of migrant workers to child benefit where their children resided outside Ireland, as highlighted in the 2007 report of the Social Welfare Appeals Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18605/08]
406 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will make a capital allocation for the building programme of a school (details supplied); when the school authorities, including the board of management and principal will be informed; the length of time he expects the construction period to last; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18099/08]
259 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport if he has made a decision in relation to the Luas D line; his views on securing one railway order for the Luas BX and Luas D lines; the time scale and procedures for the development of the Luas BX and Luas D lines; when the BX route will be finalised and when the route for Luas D will be selected; when the public consultation will commence; and whether Luas BX and Luas D will be treated as one project and constructed concurrently.
[18176/08]
168 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that the director of the Health Service Executive replies to a letter (details supplied) sent to him; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18243/08]
98 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the recommendations issued by the report the Effectiveness of Investment in Sport and the Arts as a Deterrent Against Youth Substance Abuse presented to the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in April 2004 that have been implemented by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17672/08]
270 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will respond to documentation from a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17877/08]
256 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the provisions of the EURATOM Treaty and their implications for Ireland; if the Lisbon treaty is affected in any way by the EURATOM Treaty; if there are proposals to review the EURATOM Treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17223/08]
45 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport the cost of the nationwide Transport 21 advertising campaign; the length of time this campaign will run for; the objectives that have been established for the campaign; if he will provide a full report to Dáil Éireann on the final delivery date and budget for each of the Transport 21 projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17318/08]
19 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport if the funding for all of the major infrastructure projects outlined in Transport 21 has been ring-fenced until their full delivery in 2015 and beyond; the way his Department has prioritised the delivery of Transport 21 projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17319/08]
96 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of taxi plates that have been issued in each of the past ten years in each local authority here; if there are proposals to limit the number of taxi plates in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16997/08]
71 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is concerned that according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office that 18 of the 28 towns with a population of 10,000 or more are suffering very high levels of unemployment, with Newbridge having 21.5% of the population on the live register; if he has plans to ensure that such towns are given particular priority in regard to the search for new jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16551/08]
58 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the contacts his Department has had with the receiver (details supplied) in County Westmeath; if he has satisfied himself that all appropriate steps are being taken to ensure the retention of the maximum possible number of jobs at the plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16550/08]
410 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will establish a working group to reform the law to ensure that transgendered people are given recognition by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16043/08]
62 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children when she will provide urgently needed step down beds in the Dublin area in order that patients in acute hospitals who are ready to be discharged to such beds can be transferred, relieving pressure on the accident and emergency departments, particularly the Mater Hospital accident and emergency; if she will introduce other measures to address the overcrowding that is causing such suffering to patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16253/08]
61 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the provision of kidney dialysis services for patients here; the number of patients who have to travel outside their own region for dialysis; the progress made on plans to increase the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16327/08]
42 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if the Office of Public Works has plans to allow commuter buses to use the Phoenix Park on a regular basis; the details of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15626/08]
12 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will bring forward revised spending Estimates for 2008 in view of the steeper than expected decline in Exchequer returns, the steeper than expected increase in the live register and higher than expected inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15627/08]
120 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on Ireland’s commitment to the biofuels directive in view of ethical concerns regarding land use for biofuels, particularly in developing countries; the percentage he estimates Ireland will import from developing countries in order to reach the target on biofuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14662/08]
115 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the grants available for individual wind turbines at a private house or for residential development; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14639/08]
103 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the number of houses registered in the Cork City Council local authority area in the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 was 987, 5014, and 8543; the number of houses inspected in those years was 730, 794, and 780; the quantum of funding allocated to Cork City Council in regard to accommodation standards was €93,957 in 2005, €136,019 in 2006 and €91,319 in the first tranche of funding in 2007; and if in view of the significant increase in the number of registrations he is satisfied with the level of inspection and that the funding allocated was being applied appropriately.
[14447/08]
84 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the fact that in 2006 Cork County Council inspected 0.02% of registered dwellings and Donegal County Council inspected 88% of registered dwellings.
[14446/08]
612 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will reconsider the case of a person (details supplied); his views on allowing them to remain here at least until they take their examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14595/08]
498 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there are proposals for Ireland to reconsider its position on joining the Schengen Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14853/08]
427 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in Dublin 7 is waiting for a permanent building since 1996; the length of time they will have to wait; the reason they have received no communication from her Department in 2008; if they will be in a permanent building by 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14843/08]
143 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children the number and names of countries in the EU which permit cannabis to be used for medical purposes; if she proposes to permit the use of cannabis for medical purposes here; if her attention has been drawn to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who can not live here because their medical prescription cannot be obtained here under law; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14854/08]
82 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received a recommendation from the Garda Commissioner as to whether members of the Force should be supplied with pepper sprays to help fend off attacks; when he expects a decision will be made on this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14047/08]
73 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the increase of almost 60% in the number of public order offences between 2003 and 2007; the steps he is taking to reduce the number of such offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14046/08]
176 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied); if he will allow the person referred to in the documents to remain here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13680/08]
118 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the Government has appealed the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13679/08]
28 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence if he has received a preliminary report in regard to the accident involving Defence Forces personnel which recently occurred on the M50; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13548/08]
10 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Defence the manner in which a doctor convicted of fraud in another jurisdiction was recruited to, and worked in, the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13547/08]
121 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4 is excused from paying a bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13495/08]
88 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will sanction €311,000 to a project (details supplied) in Dublin 7 in order that they can complete the three-year pilot phase as awarded under DJELR/Pobal Integration Initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13181/08]
403 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a person (details supplied) is not permitted to enter Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12914/08]
244 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position to be adopted by the Irish negotiating team at the sixth session from 31 March to 4 April 2008 of the Open Ended Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council on the two options contained in the chairperson’s draft text of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, one proposing a comprehensive Optional Protocol and one proposing an a la carte optional protocol which states parties could determine in respect of which of the covenant’s rights the way they will consider complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12829/08]
243 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give a comprehensive report on Ireland’s role in the negotiations on the draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to date, including the sessions of the Open Ended Working Group of the Human Rights Council; the nature and content of the contributions to be made by the Irish negotiating team at the sixth session from 31 March to 4 April 2008 of the Working Group and leading up to it; the position adopted by the Irish negotiating team to any and all alternate drafts presented to the working group; the reasons for the adoption of those positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12828/08]
242 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contacts that took place with other Government Departments to agree the Government’s position on the draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights ahead of the sixth session of the Open Ended Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council beginning on 31 March 2008 in Geneva; the nature and content of those contacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12827/08]
241 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position the Irish Government took on the draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ahead of the sixth session of the Open Ended Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council beginning on 31 March 2008 in Geneva; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12825/08]
199 Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide BreastCheck services in Sligo General Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13111/08]