155 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has brought to Government his request for approval for the appointment of an additional 1,000 gardaí; the response received from Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30628/06]
8 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport the requirement under EU law to establish a national motor insurance database; the progress to date in this regard; the body or bodies responsible for establishing such a database; the manner in which it will be funded; and when he expects such a database to be operational.
[30079/06]
9 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the establishment of a tourism product and business innovation fund to facilitate innovation and research and development in the area of tourism, in line with the recent Irish Tourist Industry Confederation report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26939/06]
94 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the overall cost for the digital switch over, including costs for infrastructure, trials for promoting and evaluating DTT and DAB, costs for the simulcast period, of establishing a general digital information campaign and of developing a digital stakeholders group; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26652/06]
65 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if there have been developments to the digital television policy that Ireland informed the European Commission it was preparing in 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26653/06]
719 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to efforts being made at a school (details supplied) in County Cork to retain the five class teachers for 2006-2007.
[26159/06]
315 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the issues arising regarding the proposed new forms of public procurement contracts; and his views on correspondence (details supplied).
[26179/06]
228 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she received a letter in relation to Southern Health Board recommendation to Comhairle na nOspidéal in 2002 regarding accident and emergency plans for Cork University Hospital and Mallow General Hospital.
[26181/06]
53 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science if the recent evidence given by her Department to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse revealed information on file that had not been previously disclosed to the Commission; if she is satisfied that all files requested by former chairperson of the Commission, Justice Mary Laffoy were supplied to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[25931/06]
94 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will ensure that the National Educational Welfare Board is allocated sufficient funding in the 2006 budget to allow it to recruit its full quota of educational welfare officers to carry out its statutory duty; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[25932/06]
27 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when Ireland will ratify the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention against Torture in view of the departure from equivalence as far as the Good Friday Agreement is concerned.
[25239/06]
114 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance the rate of stamp duty applicable on the sale or leasing of farms; the cost to the Exchequer of applying stamp duty relief to farmers under fifty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24620/06]
458 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will respond to the people of Cobh, County Cork who have established a committee to save Spike Island heritage, by not building a new security prison on Spike Island; if he will stop the building of a bridge connecting Spike Island to the mainland; and if he will aid in the promotion and development of Spike Island as a national heritage site.
[24536/06]
279 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if the Office of Public Works has received a request from Mitchelstown Heritage to clean the Fanahan Sculpture at Mitchelstown Garda Station; and if the necessary arrangements are being made to carry out the work.
[24798/06]
102 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding Parliamentary Question No. 2 of 18 May 2006; if the meeting took place with the persons concerned; if a date from the Environmental Protection Agency was provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[24605/06]
99 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the EU Agriculture Commissioner’s stated aim to place a ceiling on the amount of subsidies single land owners can receive; when this ceiling is expected to be discussed at the European Council of Ministers; when it is discussed, if she will indicate her approval of such a ceiling; when it is expected to be implemented; the likely effect on Irish landowners; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[24617/06]
87 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action he is taking to ensure that workers at a recently closed factory (details supplied) in County Cork are paid the agreed compensation as set down in their partnership agreement with the company and confirmed three times by the Labour Court; the sanctions he will invoke against the company if the redundancy and termination package is not paid over to workers immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23513/06]
118 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to increase the company size thresholds following the second report of the Company Law Review Group and the recent increase in thresholds agreed in the European accounting directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23520/06]
57 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a report from Mercer Human Resource Consulting that found that Ireland has among the lowest levels of statutory maternity benefits in western Europe; his views on how poorly Ireland’s maternity benefit system compares to other European countries; the efforts he is making to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22992/06]
83 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the funds which have been allocated to initiatives in support of volunteering to date in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22749/06]
76 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals in regard to reducing societal inequalities in childhood circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22756/06]
129 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he would expect to have a Government decision on the use or not of electronic voting in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22502/06]
79 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if e-voting machines have been examined for signs of rust or damage since they were put into storage; if the security seals have been checked on each machine; when they were last checked; if security seals were broken; the percentage of the machines which are still in a usable condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22501/06]
60 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the figures contained in the recent Garda Report for 2005 which shows a further increase in the number of headline offences; his further views on whether taken together with the provisional figures for the first quarter of 2006, the report shows a worrying deterioration in the crime situation; the action he intends to take arising from the increase in the number of serious crimes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22125/06]
31 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the list of ten worst Garda stations drawn up by the Garda Representative Associations; his views on whether it is acceptable that members of the force should have to work in such conditions; the steps he is taking to ensure that these stations are replaced or refurbished; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22126/06]
418 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans for a sewerage scheme (details supplied) in County Cork.
[21816/06]
153 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport when he will activate the penalty point category of driving unaccompanied on a provisional licence other than a second provisional licence.
[21982/06]
118 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport when he will introduce regulations for compulsory initial practical training for motorcyclists; when he will introduce regulations on the compulsory display of L-plates on motorcycles; and when he will reach a decision on the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists.
[21981/06]
20 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the details of the recent approval by the European Commission of Enhancements to the Section 481 scheme for investment in film; his views on extending the scheme beyond its current deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21029/06]
106 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on issuing a new directive to ComReg in relation to costly termination charges for mobile phones; if he has requested the regulator to examine bill and keep or other mobile billing systems which greatly reduce or eliminate termination charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20645/06]
93 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he plans to establish the new Energy Research Institute; if Sustainable Energy Ireland will be merged into this new institution; the reason he chose not to enhance SEI but establish a completely new body; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20644/06]
53 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science the use being made of properties which have been transferred to the State under the indemnity deal with religious institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19908/06]
33 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of cases currently before the courts against her Department in relation to the education rights of children with special needs; the number settled; the cost thereof in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19909/06]
199 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether without a 24 hour acute medical, surgical, accident and emergency consultant cover at Mallow General Hospital, some patients would be up to two hours from acute trauma or medical care which is unacceptable by international standards.
[20062/06]
198 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the expenditure incurred to date within the accident and emergency department at Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork; and the proposal for future expenditure.
[20061/06]
197 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the accident and emergency services at Mallow General Hospital, Mallow, County Cork are among the 35 designated units within the health services.
[20060/06]
136 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, on foot of his undertaking given on 25 January 2006 that Irish signature and ratification of the 1990 United Nations International Convention on the Protection of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families would be kept under review, the Government is in a position to indicate when it will sign and ratify the Convention.
[19735/06]
388 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the court upheld the constitutionality of law permitting the purchase of ground rents from landlords; if the Ground Rents Bill will be restored to the programme; and when same will happen.
[19595/06]
234 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if it is proposed to close mental hospitals and if hospitals (details supplied) in County Cork are included in the programme.
[19616/06]
233 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if it is proposed to increase inpatient beds in Cork University Hospital and it if is intended that accident and emergency services are to be expanded at the Mercy University Hospital Cork.
[19615/06]
127 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance the estimated additional revenue likely to accrue to the Exchequer in terms of excise duties and VAT above the estimates of Budget 2006, arising from the increase in the price of petrol and other oil products; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19297/06]
108 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the work of IFSRA and in particular the measures being taken to ensure that SSIA customers are not subjected to pressure from banks and financial institutions through concentrated advertisements when sending out the SSIA four form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19290/06]
101 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on the actions that can be taken to reduce the number of farm accidents; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18865/06]
53 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the incentives which are available, the incentives she is empowered to make available and the incentives she is prepared to make available to ensure that the site of the Mallow sugar plant is used for the production of an agricultural commodity that can at least fill some of the gap left by the closure of the factory on that site by Greencore; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18863/06]
127 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of companies who made grant refunds in respect of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland; the reason those refunds were made; the number of jobs involved; the names of the companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18216/06]
115 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position in regard to each of the inquiries being carried out by or on behalf of his Department; the projected date for the conclusion of each such investigation; the inquiries in respect of which reports have been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18222/06]
98 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the discussions he has had with the Department of Finance to seek to establish the number of dormant accounts belonging to Irish exiles which are included in those made over to the Dormant Accounts Fund; the value of these accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18134/06]
81 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals to use the rural social scheme to develop and maintain walkways; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18135/06]
81 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to instances where claims authorised by community welfare staff have been withheld, delayed or stopped by officials from within his Department; the procedures used in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17387/06]