98 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that there is no benefit in kind rule for taxation purposes on the use of company helicopters or planes, as there is with company cars; his plans to close off this loophole; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7859/06]
124 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance if an estimate has been undertaken of the number of civil or public servants who do not wish to relocate and who will be surplus to requirements as a result of their jobs being transferred to other locations under the Government’s decentralisation programme; the jobs that will be provided for these personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7876/06]
21 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Defence the European country which Ireland will be twinned with in regard to partnership arrangements for participation in EU battle groups; the potential number of troops that will be deployed in battle groups; the maximum number of troops that can be deployed at any one time; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7172/06]
127 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he and his Department are taking in order to maintain links with members of the Irish community living abroad, with particular reference to those in Argentina and Uruguay, on whose behalf dissatisfaction has been expressed at the existing level of contact.
[6982/06]
114 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the full list of Irish attendance abroad at ministerial, junior ministerial, official and other representative levels, for the St. Patrick’s Day festival.
[6983/06]
586 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there was no interview room in Wexford Garda station that contained audio-visual equipment for interviewing suspects on 10 October 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7143/06]
585 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will establish a missing persons helpline; if not, if he will transfer this responsibility to the Department of Health and Children; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7136/06]
572 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applicants who have not succeeded in their request for residency on the grounds of having Irish born children; the reason for refusal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6960/06]
532 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there are plans in his Department to close the Garda stations at Kilcormac, County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6436/06]
587 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will appoint an investigating officer under the Commission of Investigations Act 2004 to review the material relating to the Stardust tragedy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7144/06]
320 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance the new traffic management proposals for the Phoenix Park; his views on establishing a second play area for young children adjacent to the Castleknock entrance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7141/06]
128 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason over the past three years the Irish fisheries statistical returns and reports were not sent by his Department to the EU Commission as required under the Common Fisheries Policy of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6735/06]
83 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in view of the signing of an agreement between companies (details supplied) to explore the Dunquin project in the Porcupine Basin and the other reported major discovery in the County Sligo region, he will bring forward measures to change the licensing and regulatory regime for the exploration and exploitation of natural resources here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6705/06]
225 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the proposals he has for requiring new Garda trainees recruited from immigrant ethnic groups to undergo an intensive course in Irish; the reason he has changed his policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6157/06]
224 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date in 2006 in preparing planning applications for the site at Mountjoy Prison; if he proposes to transfer some of the site to the Mater Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6156/06]
223 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of inquiries or tribunals that have been established in the past ten years; the number that have completed their work and have issued final reports; the cost to the Exchequer of each inquiry or tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6155/06]
222 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the law and practice governing the release of convicted sex offenders from custody; the nature of the monitoring that takes place; the extra measures which are in place to guard against paedophiles re-offending on release; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6154/06]
79 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on the way in which agriculture and the consumer here can be protected from the risks associated with a more liberalised world trade in agricultural products; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5930/06]
222 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the FÁS training centre at Jervis Street, Dublin 1 is being downgraded; if planning permission has been sought for a development on the site or part thereof; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5917/06]
146 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science her plans to further implement the Youth Work Act 2001 in 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5727/06]
138 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has responded to information given to her Department on resource teaching hours lost to schools in disadvantaged areas as a result of the introduction of the weighted model of allocation of resource teachers; if teaching hours have been restored to these schools; the detail of such restoration in relation to each school concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[5744/06]
543 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of embassies which have Garda security; the number of the Garda Síochána allocated in each case; if there has been any reduction or increase in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5809/06]
542 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the office of each person here who is entitled to have a Garda driver; the number of such Garda drivers; the office of each person who is entitled to have Garda security on their home; the people who avail of the security; the number of the Garda Síochána who are allocated to such duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5808/06]
541 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received an indication as to the likely publication date for the Barr tribunal report into the shooting dead of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5805/06]
216 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the strategies he intends using to speed up the construction of water and waste water treatment plants proposed under the water services investment programme 2005-2007; the implications these strategies will have for communities in the vicinities of the proposed plants; if these strategies include the curtailment of public consultation with local communities in the vicinity of the sites of the treatment facilities; if the carrying out of environmental assessments on such facilities will be affected by these strategies.
[5297/06]
141 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the call by the Association of City and County Councils for the regulation of the planning status of adult entertainment venues and shops; his plans to make regulations to require such operations to obtain planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5326/06]
74 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons from EU countries who joined the Community in 2004 who have applied for and received unemployment benefit or assistance since May 2004; his views on the fact that these figures show the fears of welfare tourism that were expressed at the time were unfounded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4705/06]
10 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position with regard to his discussions with the European Commission regarding the Government’s implementation of the two-year habitual residence requirement in regard to qualification for social welfare benefits; if any changes to the requirement have been introduced or are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4704/06]
115
D'fhiafraigh Mr. Costello den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cathain a chuirfear scéim oifigiúil cáilíochtaí ar bun d’aistritheoirí Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[4408/06]
454 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress which has been made in the visa application of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
[4248/06]
430 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the circumstances surrounding the arrest, handcuffing and imprisonment of a person (details supplied) in County Meath for non-payment of a parking fine; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4004/06]
414 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if asylum will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Louth on the grounds that she has an Irish born child.
[3847/06]
141 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of EU directives remaining to be implemented for which his Department has responsibility; the directives that are overdue; the number of warnings received from the EU Commission since 1997 regarding delays or non-implementation of such directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4080/06]
118 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the establishment level for the post of labour inspector within his Department; the number of posts filled at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4079/06]
51 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if DNA samples still have to be sent abroad for analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3554/06]
2 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the dramatic increase in headline crimes in 2005; the measures he proposes to introduce to tackle the spiralling incidence of murder, gangland killings, rape and drug abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3553/06]
140 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the recent series of maritime disasters, he has made a decision to provide an emergency towing vessel to provide extra protection for mariners and the Irish coast in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3135/06]
110 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Transport when the coast guard will move its headquarters to Drogheda; the number of positions and staff who will transfer; the arrangements being made for the Dublin marine rescue co-ordination centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3134/06]
185 Mr. Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on reports from the Irish Medical Organisation that up to 27,000 children are losing out on vital checks for potentially serious medical conditions due to a shortage of public health doctors; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3023/06]
145 Mr. Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that stroke is the third leading cause of death here; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that same accounts for almost 10% of accident and emergency admissions yet stroke health services are under developed here; her views on whether a national stroke strategy is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3024/06
34 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if funding will be provided to create sports training facilities ahead of the London 2012 Olympics in order to attract competing athletes from other nations; if same is viewed as a matter of urgency in view of the short timeframe; his plans regarding this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2499/06]
1222 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if all of the 20 one-teacher schools will have a second person working in the school on health and safety grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[40191/05]
1212 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[40331/05]
1081 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when payments of €19.10 to an adult and €9.60 for a child made to asylum seekers in receipt of direct provision were last increased; his plans to increase same, in view of the significant increase in social welfare rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40336/05]
1080 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the ombudsman commission will be established; when the commission will start work; if the commission will consider complaints made prior to its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40333/05]
224 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if urgent measures for reform of the regulatory system of the telecommunications sector will be brought forward after the two recent rulings by the electronic communications appeal panel, ECAP, against ComReg; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2121/06]
122 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if a directive will issue to ComReg to regulate mobile phone termination charges; Ireland’s position in the ranking of mobile phone charges across the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2099/06]
122 Mr. Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she proposes to follow the example of France and put warning labels on containers of alcohol; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39785/05]
81 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science if the crisis in funding of Educate Together will be addressed, which if not addressed will make it impossible for it to carry out the work it has been doing on behalf of the State as the patron body for multi-denominational national schools; if additional moneys will be allocated to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39652/05]
67 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of the school building programme funding allocation that has been spent to date in 2005; the amount that remains unspent; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39653/05]