255 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the perceived delays with correspondence and queries in the Dublin PAYE offices; if delays can be quantified; the reason for the delays; if a timetable for working off arrears will be given.
[23770/05]
254 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider changes to stamp duty due to the perceived view that it is a tax on freedom of movement, is a disincentive against trading up and an unfair tax in settled and established areas; if he will consider alternations to allow the tax rate on that bracket only rather than on full sale value; if he will consider a further increase in threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23769/05]
253 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons over 70 who pay tax; the total and average amount paid; the highest figure paid; if a total exemption for all persons over 70 is recommended; if a gradual increase in the exemption limit is more advisable; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23768/05]
248 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance the requirements which SSIA holders must satisfy prior to the cashing in of their investment accounts in the short term and at the end of the maximum investment period; when the first SSIAs will mature; if the holders will be written to; if they must initiate repayment; if they will be offered further investment terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23581/05]
155 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding persons (details supplied); if any fast track system will be set up for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23824/05]
152 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the dental benefits available to a pensioner on an over-70 medical card; if all dental services are available free of charge; if the free service is for basic dentistry only; if she will outline same; if it is in order for a dentist to charge for services or to make top up charges; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23821/05]
151 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reports, publications and other data available for students studying health sector procurement of pharmaceuticals; the way in which they can be obtained in each case.
[23820/05]
150 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation in relation to medical screening of persons who arrive here from areas of infections; if tests or screening are voluntary or compulsory; the screening which is available; if it is part of any legislation or status granting procedure; the period within which it is offered or carried out, from arrival; the way in which procedures here compare with other EU jurisdictions; and the EU countries which have compulsory screening in total or part.
[23819/05]
149 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of orthodontists now fully trained and practising in the sponsored training scheme; the length of time they are tied to working in the public service; the locations at which they are working and the progress which has been made on waiting lists; the cost of installation of new clinics; the reason it is not working efficiently; the action being taken to sort out industrial relations and-or personality issues; when treatment will be provided to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23818/05]
148 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on perceived delays with the processing of applications and the completion of same for hearing aids; and the estimate of the average length of time to supply hearing aids from the start of an application process.
[23817/05]
147 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11.
[23815/05]
146 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the provision of medical aids (details supplied); if they are provided free or otherwise; if it depends on whether the person is on amedical card or the €85 per month prescription-medication scheme; and if she will make a statement on the way in which help towards ESB charges is processed.
[23814/05]
403 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will consider extending extra benefits to carers looking after the more stressful and needs related clients; if, in cases in which persons take up the carer’s allowance and forfeit other social welfare payments, he will consider granting such persons all or part of forfeited payments.
[24174/05]
556 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to an application made under the single payment scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick and when a decision in the case will be made.
[22523/05]
243 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children regarding the recent report on orthodontics; and if she will give a timeframe for implementation of same.
[22529/05]
267 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding a course (details supplied) for teachers; her views on concerns of some that the course will have or has potential to produce a limitless number of teachers; if her attention has been drawn to such concerns; and if any amendments will be made in the regulations to allay concerns.
[21450/05]
266 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding the reported loss of a computer room teacher at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9; if the special fund-raising by the parents for this facility did not bring a promise that its staffing was exempt from the normal quota calculation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21449/05]
265 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding to the need of a scout unit (details supplied) for specialist funds; and if necessary resources will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21444/05]
185 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will increase the number of free units of electricity and gas given under the household free schemes due to the significant increase in energy costs in the past five years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21438/05]
184 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the fuel allowance was last increased; if he will report on the current rules regarding income eligibility; and if he will increase the fuel allowance and income eligibility in budget 2006.
[21436/05]
183 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the living alone allowance might be extended to those not in receipt of a social welfare pension, but whose existence is known and recognised by the granting of the free schemes.
[21430/05]
175 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status and future of the metrology unit under her Department; if he will report on proposed changes; the reason they are being considered; if all parties, including staff, have an input into the decision; the objections to the changes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21451/05]
158 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason for the delay in giving An Post pensioners their due increases; and when these increases and arrears will be awarded.
[21452/05]
153 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance when age allowance was last increased from a tax point of view; if he will now consider same as a recognition that these are extra costs associated with living alone.
[21429/05]
152 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance the VAT take on various energy costs in the past five years; and if he will consider reducing VAT rates on all or some energy costs due to the significant effect these costs are having on some categories in society, for example, pensioners who use a greater proportion of their income on heat for health reasons and for being at home more.
[21428/05]
146 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance if a person in employment with a contribution record aged over 66, but whose employer understands him to be younger, claims the old age pension, if he can pay tax separately on it without it being shown on his tax documents, P60, tax allowance form and so on; and if such a person did not claim it until he was 70, if the arrears he could claim at that stage could be clarified.
[21431/05]
131 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation for a person on high levels of medication and availing of the €85 per month maximum on prescriptions and who is prescribed new drugs which must be bought separately due to the fact that they are not on the approved list; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21445/05]
130 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation with regard to entitlement to a medical card for persons from the United Kingdom who move here for work or other purposes; and the restrictions on same.
[21439/05]
495 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Transport the criteria which must be fulfilled by a person in order to secure a hackney licence; and if a person is already in full-time employment, if they are still entitled to hold a hackney licence.
[19402/05]
129 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the progress being made regarding the provision of a specialised Alzheimer unit for St. Ita’s Hospital, Newcastle West County Limerick.
[18707/05]
132 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of persons working in the health service; the division of same broken down into the main categories of workers, for example, doctors, nurses, paramedics, administrators and maintenance; if similar figures will be provided for every year or a selected number of years over the past 20 years; if data will be provided for the number of public hospital beds; the trend in same over recent years; the basis of the requirement; if it is one bed per specific number of population, and if the number of beds has been increased due to the population increase of 1 million from 1971 to 2002.
[17920/05]
131 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the planned new unit in St. Vincent’s Hospital for persons affected by cystic fibrosis; when it will be opened and fitted out to accept patients; if a definite date will be given as patients were advised in 2002 that this unit would be completed in 2006; and the steps which have taken place to improve facilities at the hospital for cystic fibrosis patients.
[17912/05]
78 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance when the accompanying regulation to the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001 will be notified to local authorities in order that pension entitlements will be calculated for part-time employees.
[17663/05]
258 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if prison officers who have transferred from Spike Island prison will be made permanent at their present location; if so, when these permanent appointments will be made (details supplied).
[16597/05]
388 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress which has been made regarding the Foynes and Shanagolden sewerage scheme in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15951/05]
387 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the functions of town commissioners.
[15950/05]
269 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made on an application for naturalisation by a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
[15930/05]
234 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the next tranche of money from the dormant accounts fund will be made available.
[15952/05]
406 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the establishment of a second level class specifically for students with Asperger’s syndrome; when it is likely to be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12837/05]
376 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if agency nursing staff are subject to the same Garda vetting procedures as staff employed directly by the Health Service Executive.
[13252/05]
295 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on the current agreement with An Post for social welfare payments; if the contract is nearing its end; if so, if it will be given to An Post again; if an open competition will be held, with tenders from different financial institutions; and if the concerns of old age pensioners will be uppermost in his mind when making a decision on the award of contracts for these payments in the future.
[12825/05]
278 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the situation regarding work permit holders who are non-EEA nationals and in regard to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; the length of time the normal restrictions on the issuance of work permits do not apply after a non-EEA national is made redundant; if the ineligible job categories apply only to persons outside the State applying for their first permit; if there is an exemption from the normal restrictions for persons taking cases to the Employment Appeals Tribunal; and if a work permit will be granted to this person.
[12836/05]
170 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the operation of the national treatment purchase fund is under the control of her Department or the HSE; if she will report on procedures done, the cost of same to date, the impact on waiting lists and give an analysis of each category of procedure; the number of procedures in each hospital; if there is competition between hospitals; the way in which work is divided between them; if public hospitals are allowed to tender for procedures; if so, the reason this is allowed when they cannot cope with existing patients; if this practice will cease before this scheme is destroyed; if the waiting list initiative fund still exists; if so, the amount budgeted for same in 2005; the way in which hospitals qualify for their payments; and if it is distributed without focus.
[12834/05]
358 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the allocation of funds to rural bus projects throughout the country; if his Department has allocated moneys to ADM for distribution; and when allocations will be issued to each of those projects.
[12214/05]
355 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Transport if it is illegal to modify a private motor vehicle; if it is permitted in certain circumstances; and the legal position regarding the matter.
[12156/05]
143 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which a person of Australian origin, who has stamp 1 status on an immigration bureau card, a valid work permit up to January 2006 and who has been resident in Dublin since 2001 can change their residency status in order to be in a position to purchase a house; the meaning of stamp status; and the criteria required to be fulfilled to allow a person of Australian origin to apply for permanent residency status.
[9778/05]
98 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the plans for distribution of electricity; if decisions have been made in this regard; when a new system commenced or will commence; the discount or commission which private wholesalers will receive; if charges would be 10% less if wholesalers were dispensed with; if new regulations are being introduced due to EU regulations; if €120 million has been spent on a computer system just to prove that fair distribution is taking place; if the EU pays for this investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9891/05]
78 Mr. Cregan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation in relation to the granting and supply of home care packages in each region of the HSE; the approximate number of such packages in each region; if clarification on the granting of future packages will be given; if there is a list of approved but waiting cases in each region; the reason the home care package for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, approved as maximum dependency, has not commenced; and when same will commence.
[9887/05]
618 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will identify the schools in County Limerick which have applications with her Department for upgrading works, provision of temporary accommodation, provision of new schools and funding under the devolved programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9327/05]