378 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has received correspondence in relation to the closure of Postbank from a union (details supplied); the concerns raised in this correspondence; his views on the proposal to work with the Department of Finance to include the Postbank operation in future plans; his further views on the impact of the closure of Postbank will have on social welfare recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11350/10]
373 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason for his failure to ensure a contract to deliver digital terrestrial television; when that contract is to be signed; if he will commit to ensure free-to-air BBC coverage for the Republic of Ireland and RTE services for coverage in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11175/10]
372 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the energy affordability strategy will be published in view of the recent statement (details supplied) that a carbon tax on solid fuel will not be introduced; the position regarding the fuel poverty action research project; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11174/10]
255 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on criticisms from an organisation (details supplied) that the tourist visa system operated by his Department is having a negative impact on the tourism industry and costing thousands of jobs; his further views on the requirements for various documentation from visitors from China, India and Russia and whether these requirements are necessary; if he will review this system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11353/10]
190 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive is withdrawing funding for respite beds in private nursing homes nationally or if the withdrawal of such funds is being carried out on a regional basis; if the HSE has taken into account the hardship that closing respite beds in private nursing homes will cause to many facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11195/10]
101 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the recent number of cases highlighted by the National Consumer Agency in which some branches of the country’s four biggest retailers were charging customers more than the prices displayed; if she is satisfied that the law is adequate to deal with such practices; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11371/10]
84 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of staff employed in her Department; the number of staff dedicated to labour market issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11392/10]
243 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether legislation is required for the introduction of postcodes as highlighted in the National Postcodes Project report; if he has been in contact with the Data Protection Commissioner on the possible requirement for legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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180 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether savings can be made on street lights on motorways and major national routes without compromising safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10256/10]
107 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will roll out the cervical cancer vaccine; if she will confirm that arrangements will be put in place with all schools in order to administer the vaccine in autumn 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10445/10]
52 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children when bowel cancer screening will commence; if it is intended that the hospital personnel who currently carry out symptomatic screening will implement the screening programme; if so, the way she will ensure that symptomatic screening waiting times are not affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10446/10]
167 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Finance his views on calls from a combined heat and power supplier for a full relief from the proposed carbon tax for electricity generated from CHP plants; if he has received correspondence on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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84 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the free to air BBC services here in view of statements (details supplied) following the publication of the Memorandum of Understanding between him and the UK Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10103/10]
102 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the digital terrestrial television project here; when he expects the signing of the contract with a company (details supplied); the concerns he has if the delays in implementing DTT continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10104/10]
53 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will review the levy structure he has proposed in view of widespread concern at job losses arising from levies to be charged to the independent radio sector as a result of the establishment of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10614/10]
24 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the interdepartmental task force on e-voting machines has met in 2010; if they are in a position to conclude its work; the costs related to the storage of the machines in 2009; if the termination of leases in the remaining four locations have been concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9527/10]
22 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he plans to bring before Dáil Éireann legislation relating to a directly elected mayor of Dublin; if he plans to provide for directly elected mayors in other regions of the country and the regions involved; the timescale for their introduction; if the election of a mayor of Dublin and other regions will be accommodated within the same legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9526/10]
85 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Defence the Irish language initiatives that have been undertaken in the Defence Forces since 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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83 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Defence when he will introduce legislation regarding the Irish Red Cross; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9184/10]
273 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on mosquito alarms being used by businesses to deter young people from congregating outside shops; his further views on whether these mosquito alarms are legal; if his attention has been drawn to any issues of health and safety surrounding these devices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8666/10]
146 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to expand the employment subsidy scheme in view of the fact that the expansion of the scheme was announced in mid-December 2009 and the closing date was 23 December 2009 and many businesses were not in a position to apply during the lead up to Christmas 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[8816/10]
29 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make a statement on the opening hours of head shops; if there is legislation regarding their opening hours; and if an age limit will be enforced on entry to such shops.
[8400/10]
79 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the action he will take to resolve the storage problems that are occurring at the National Archives; the progress made to date on a new purpose built building for the State’s archives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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584 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science the cross-Border programmes, initiatives, areas of co-operation and so on which his Department is engaging in or about to engage in with its counterparts in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7615/10]
553 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the cross border programmes, initiatives, areas of co-operation and so on which his Department is engaging in or about to engage in with its counterparts in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7614/10]
549 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will direct State agencies and Departments to use both a lo-call number and local number for members of the public in view of the fact that many persons with mobile phones are charged higher tariffs by calling the lo-call number; the cost of calling a lo-call number during the day from a mobile phone; the cost of a landline phone call to a lo-call number; his views on that there are many persons on low incomes who only have a mobile phone number; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7922/10]
547 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cross-Border programmes, initiatives, areas of co-operation and so on which his Department is engaging in or about to engage in with its counterparts in Northern Ireland.
[7612/10]
546 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of the announcement that RTÉ will be free to air in the North of Ireland and BBC in the South of Ireland, this arrangement will include their respective Internet players, RTÉ Player in the North of Ireland and the BBC iPlayer in the South of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7611/10]
454 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons here in receipt of telephone allowance for mobile phones; the number of those over 70 years who are in receipt of the telephone allowance for mobile phones; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7919/10]
399 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cross border programmes, initiatives, areas of co-operation and so on which her Department is engaging in or about to engage in with its counterparts in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7613/10]
375 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the cross-Border programmes, initiatives, areas of co-operation and so on which his Department is engaging in or is about to engage in with its counterparts in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7616/10]
123 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will seek movement towards a sustainable common position regarding climate change in view of the disappointing outcome of the Copenhagen conference; if Ireland supports the achievement of such within the framework of the UN.
[7140/10]
93 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the most recent Council of Ministers meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7141/10]
40 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress that has been made in addressing the inadequate number of social workers in the health service; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6981/10]
38 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the reports she has received regarding the co-located private hospitals that have received planning permission and their intentions to proceed to construction; if her Department or the Department of Finance has completed cost benefit analysis on proceeding with these hospitals at this stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6980/10]
126 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the €1.115 billion allocation for the national roads programme 2010; the new road projects that will begin in 2010, 2011 and 2012; the position regarding the feasibility study on the Leinster outer orbital route that was submitted to his Department by the National Roads Authority in 2007; his views on whether this road project will proceed by 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6427/10]
96 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Transport if the 1998 EU Convention on driving disqualifications is fully operational between Ireland and the UK; the offences covered by the new order; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6420/10]
705 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on increasing the capitation grant per child to offset water charges that are being imposed on schools here; his further views on whether schools should be exempt from commercial water rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6698/10]
234 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children if the proposed Adoption Bill will recognise direct adoptions from Hague ratified contracting states where such adoptions are legislated for and administered in line with the Hague Convention good practice guidelines; if she will table an amendment to the Bill giving recognition to such adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6269/10]
44 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a Garda file has been sent to the Director of the Public Prosecutions, arising from the seizure of 120 million cigarettes at Greenore, County Louth in October 2009; the estimated value of the cigarettes seized; if the vessel (details supplied), alleged to have been in the incident is still detained.
[5599/10]
50 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects the Garda investigation into matters arising from the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5598/10]
154 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Finance his views on the viability of a banking division at a bank (details supplied) as an independent going concern in view of its unsustainable loans to deposits ratio and dependence on the European Central Bank’s extraordinary liquidity measures and money market funding; if he has a preference for it to remain as an independent credit institution, to acquire a strategic partner from overseas or to merge with one or more of the other domestic credit institutions; if he will comment on recent reports that the bank rejected his proposal that they merge with another bank in the weeks after the bank guarantee was issued; if he envisages such a merger as a viable option.
[5316/10]
144 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Finance the progress made with the restructuring and consolidation of the banking system here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5317/10]
594 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated implementation costs for his Department in relation to postcodes and the figures from 2006 published by consultants (details supplied); the maintenance costs; the monetary benefits; the net present value over 15 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4798/10]
589 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated implementation costs for the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive in relation to postcodes and the figures from 2006 published by consultants (details supplied); the maintenance costs; the monetary benefits; the net present value over 15 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4795/10]
178 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plan in place to support PhD students following on from a report by the advisory council for science, technology and innovation that highlighted the importance of PhDs in the smart economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3430/10]
153 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on her proposed code of conduct for the grocery sector.
[4838/10]
150 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the recommendations of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in so far as they relate to her Department and agencies for which she has responsibility; the recommendations which have been accepted; the recommendations that have been rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4839/10]
156 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to increase the minimum licence requirement for mobile telephone operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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