574 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the legal basis upon which his Department issues licences to the Ward Union Stag Hunt to hunt deer farmed and raised in captivity when the 1911 Protection of Animals Act prohibits the hunting of tame or domestic animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8905/04]
481 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department will take measures to speed up the processing of notices by the gardaí in relation to speeding offences, currently operated on a manual basis, to ensure that motorists observed breaking the speed limit be sent an initial notification within two weeks of the offence being committed to encourage them to observe the speed limit during the months that elapse between the offence being committed and the issuing of penalty points.
[8511/04]
456 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the establishment of quality, community based, State-run child care facilities as a matter of urgency in order that parents have no problems in securing child care places, which are very expensive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8418/04]
439 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will take measures to ensure that motorists observed breaking the speed limit are sent initial notification within two weeks of the offence being committed to encourage them to observe the speed limit during the months that elapse between the offence being committed and the issuing of penalty points.
[8544/04]
364 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will take steps to speed up the process by which persons with pulmonary hypertension in need of oxygen treatment equipment at a cost of €124.84 per month and portable oxygen kits at €50 per month are reimbursed by the local health boards following an up front payment to the company supplying this equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8522/04]
363 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason persons with pulmonary hypertension in need of oxygen treatment equipment supplied by a company (details supplied) at a cost of €124.84 per month and portable oxygen kits at €50 per month have to wait six to eight weeks before this money, paid up front to the company, can be reimbursed by the local health board; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8521/04]
155 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing tax relief or other incentives to help parents with the excessive burden of child care costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8432/04]
178 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has plans during the Irish Presidency of the EU to ensure that Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty on European Union operate as a framework, whereby there will be EU level accountability for serious breaches of human rights that occur within a member state.
[7992/04]
177 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the Amnesty International report, Human Rights Begin at Home; the steps he intends taking during the Presidency of the EU to promote the recommendations of this report on human rights accountability within the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7991/04]
176 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in accordance with the European Parliament’s vote, he will argue for the suspension of the preferential trading terms of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with Israel, due to the violation of its human rights provision by the Israeli state; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7985/04]
15 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if the drafting of legislation has been subcontracted out by the Attorney General’s office to outside bodies or commercial firms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3709/04]
6 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent work of the high-level group established within his Department in the aftermath of the 11 September atrocity.
[1830/04]
275 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the Government policy relating to the disposal of waste by Government Departments.
[7250/04]
256 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department requested the PSNI to visit and question a journalist who found files from his Department in an illegal dump in County Tyrone.
[7204/04]
255 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will give a full report on the discovery of his Department’s files in an illegal dump in County Tyrone.
[7203/04]
5 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of files in respect of 1973 withheld by his Department from the National Archives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3708/04]
286 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has received a request for a meeting with the Fishery Harbour Centres Users Group in connection with new charges for use of fishery harbour centres; and if he will consider meeting with this group at an early date to discuss its concerns and effect a quick resolution to the dispute over the new charges.
[6752/04]
252 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will seek emergency funds for the third level education sector to maintain education facilities following direct and indirect cuts to the budgets of third level institutions.
[6640/04]
5 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the cross-departmental team on infrastructure and public private partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1842/04]
465 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the anti-war protester on hunger strike in Limerick Prison; and if he will seek his immediate release.
[5996/04]
412 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will take measures to ensure that motorists are notified within two weeks of the awarding against them of penalty points; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5991/04]
411 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the delay between motorists being observed breaking the speed limit and the awarding against them of penalty points; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5990/04]
241 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if tax breaks given to the stud farm industry are in conflict with Article 87 of the EC treaty which prohibits aid granted by a member state or through state resources in any form which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain firms or the production of certain goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5620/04]
4 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the duties and responsibilities of the special political advisers appointed by him.
[3706/04]
15 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach his priorities for his visit to the United States around St. Patrick's Day; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3705/04]
13 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach when he next expects to meet the President of the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1834/04]
7 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department during November and December 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3696/04]
317 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has plans to allocate special needs assistants on a school by school basis, based on the number of students attending each school, as is currently the case with the allocation of teaching posts; when this will be implemented; and the ratio of special needs assistants to students that will exist.
[4959/04]
316 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has plans to expand the provision of special needs supports to ensure children with special needs achieve their full educational potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4958/04]
315 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the changes his Department intends to make in the criteria being used for the assessment of the need to provide a special needs assistant over the next 18 months.
[4957/04]
314 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the changes in the criteria used for the assessment of the need to provide a special needs assistant to a school student since 1 June 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4956/04]
313 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria currently being employed in the evaluation of the necessity for the provision of a special needs assistant to a school student; if his Department has plans to change these criteria; and if so, when.
[4954/04]
320 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2004 to June 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4962/04]
319 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2003 to June 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4961/04]
318 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2002 to June 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4960/04]
312 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants employed on a full-time and part-time basis.
[4953/04]
276 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will immediately sanction funding for the CABAS south Dublin project in Shankill; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4527/04]
9 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee on the Constitution.
[3704/04]
8 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if there are plans to hold a constitutional referendum during 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3703/04]
108 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the EU Article 133 committee meeting to be held in Dublin on 20 February 2004 will be put in the public domain; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4390/04]
107 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will put in the public domain documents being presented by the Government to the EU Article 133 committee meeting to be held in Dublin on 20 February 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4389/04]
29 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the matters discussed and conclusions reached at his meeting with representatives of the Democratic Unionist Party in London; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3695/04]
25 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the matters discussed and conclusions reached at his recent meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1837/04]
24 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent contacts with the British Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1829/04]