389 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the present position regarding the recent deportation from Ireland of two persons (details supplied) in view of their successful integration into their homes here; his thoughts on a reappraisal of the decision to deport these persons; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these families have been torn apart because of the decision; and if he has proposals for the potential reunification of these families.
[13457/05]
312 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport his plans on foot of discussions at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport on 13 April 2005 for the Great Southern Hotels Group; the position regarding the many members of staff employed in this group; and the plans he has to secure and safeguard a secure future for this hotel group and its staff.
[13082/05]
101 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to publish the review of the school transport scheme; if the review recommends that parents of primary pupils will have to pay charges of up to €150 per year; if she intends to accept this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13007/05]
82 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has received a report from the NCCA recommending that all 450,000 primary school pupils should be tested for literacy and numeracy in first class and fifth class; if she intends to implement this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13006/05]
27 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Defence if, in relation to the dispatch of Defence Forces members on overseas service, the utilisation of regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under the authority of the UN Security Council is synonymous with the establishment of an international force or body by the Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12352/05]
125 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress in regard to his consideration of proposals to introduce legislation to provide for a new offence of corporate killing as recommended by the Law Reform Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12090/05]
106 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the liquidation process for Irish Fertilizer Industries; if he is satisfied that all possible steps have been taken to protect the interests of former employees of Irish Fertilizer Industries who lost their jobs as a result of the liquidation of the company; if he has information as to the proportion of pension entitlement that former workers, including those in Northern Ireland, are likely to receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12089/05]
140 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent findings of the report, Inclusion is Everyone’s Business, produced by the social inclusion unit of Dublin City Council, which found that levels of poverty in parts of Dublin had not changed and that levels of deprivation had worsened somewhat in the 11 years up to 2002; the steps he intends to take to deal with the issues highlighted in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11834/05]
115 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals for a new second tier of supports targeted at children most at risk of poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11833/05]
48
D’fhiafraigh Mr. M. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an aontaíonn sé gur beag an tairbhe do chaomhnú agus forbairt na Gaeilge iachall a bheith ar Ranna Stáit agus ar Chomhlachtaí Stáit cáipéisí agus tuarascálacha gur beag duine a léann an leagan Béarla a aistriú go Gaeilge; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[11387/05]
18
D’fhiafraigh Mr. M. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén tairbhe a thagann as an íocaíocht bhliantúil leis an mBiúró Eorpach do Theangacha Neamh-fhorleathana; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[11389/05]
140 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action that has been taken or that he plans to take following the report of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution on the cost of building land; the specific measures that have been implemented arising from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11063/05]
77 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made with regard to the announcement on 24 February 2005 to swap State-owned lands for private sites on which housing development has already been completed to help fast track the provision of the 10,000 affordable houses promised under Sustaining Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11064/05]
104 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to serious concerns expressed by teacher unions at a number of recent reported cases in which members of the Garda were reported to have entered schools in an attempt to execute deportation orders in respect of children attending such schools; if he intends to ensure that this practice is halted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10767/05]
103 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps which are taken by this country to meet the commitment contained in the readmission agreement between Ireland and Nigeria regarding deportations to safeguard the human rights and dignity of those returned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10768/05]
104 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reasons underpinning the European Commission’s development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument in the context of the EU 2007-2013 financial perspectives budgetary framework, in view of the fact that this mechanism does not involve developing countries in southern and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean; if he has suggestions for amelioration of the instrument to include such countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9850/05]
103 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress being made and that has been made in updating EU development policy; his views on whether hunger and food security aspects should be included in the European Commission’s needs indicators for development aid, which they currently are not; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9845/05]
102 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position on the EU’s development policy given that this policy creates a situation whereby allocation criteria only applies after an overall amount is decided for a given region; the difficulty that this policy in its present guise will not be effective in responding to the need to potentially re-examine the EU’s policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9844/05]
30 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the situation with regard to the proposed break-up of Aer Rianta; if a decision has been made on the future of Aer Rianta assets, such as the Great Southern Hotel Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9688/05]
7 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport his views on the decision by the European Commission to send letters to those member states which have air service agreements with the United States; the action he will take following the European Commission’s statement that Ireland’s agreement with the United States in this regard is a flagrant breach of European law; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9689/05]
22 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the measures implemented to date in regard to the package of measures announced in the Estimates for 2005 to improve accident and emergency services; the timetable for the implementation of each other planned measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9405/05]
8 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the situation in accident and emergency units in view of the decision of the Health and Safety Authority to order a safety inspection of all such units; the steps being taken to ensure that such units comply with relevant safety requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9406/05]
464 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on the recent raids in Cork, Kerry, Westmeath, Louth, Meath, and Dublin in relation to criminal activities by subversive organisations; if these raids are linked to investigations into the Northern Bank robbery; the consequences these raids may have for the peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7705/05]
115 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government proposes to support the position taken by Senator Edward Kennedy, whereby the senator proposed that the 292 Montserratians to be expelled from the United States of America following the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to revoke the temporary protected status of these persons should be granted permanent residency status or at least that the decision to expel these persons be reversed; the support the Irish Government proposes to give these persons, in particular due to the linkages and unique connection between Ireland and Montserrat and the frequent visits to Ireland by, among others, Montserratian Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7691/05]
69 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his position on the use of development funds for advocacy and empowerment among the poor of the developing world; the basis for such remarks as he has made that called such practice into question; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7692/05]
62 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government has discussed or he has had discussions with his British counterparts on the possibility of providing Irish television services, free travel and other such benefits for senior citizen Irish immigrants when they return to visit Ireland and for emigrant communities living outside this country, predominantly in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7796/05]
59 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the proposed withdrawal from Gaza announced by Israeli Prime Minister Sharon is the first step in a comprehensive set of initiatives within the context of the road map for peace or, as some have suggested, is an attempt to develop an alternative to the road map for peace; his further views on whether the recent ceasefires announced by the Israeli Prime Minister and the President of the Palestinian Authority have the potential to secure a just and lasting peace in the Middle East if they are allowed to stand on their own; his further views on whether significant progress on the issues of settlement in the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and the release of prisoners are matters which must be quickly addressed; if he has represented such views to his colleague Ministers in the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7795/05]
52 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons on the national minimum wage who are expected to be brought back into the tax net if the increase to €7.65 per week, as recommended by the Labour Court, is implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7154/05]
9 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the planned sale of State property announced; if he will list the property sold and the amount raised; the way in which the money raised has been used; the properties it is planned to sell during 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7155/05]
133 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of farmers who have left full-time farming since 1997; her views on the fall in the number of full-time farmers; the steps she is taking to deal with the drift from the land; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6959/05]
82 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the continuing increase in the price of farm land identified by the CSO, which is running way above the level of general inflation; her views on the implications of this rise for farmers who wish to expand or for persons who wish to enter farming for the first time; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6960/05]
304 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the application for residency by a person (details supplied) in County Galway based on marriage to an Irish citizen.
[6546/05]
98 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Defence his plans for joint procurement of arms and equipment for the Defence Forces and the military forces of other States; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6696/05]
68 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has proposed, in view of the recent South East Asia disaster and for the more general reason of poverty reduction, such new initiatives on trade as would bring a genuine development round in relation to trade into existence at the level of the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2762/05]
32 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits issued to date under the new arrangements to give access to employment to the spouses of non-EEA nationals working here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6154/05]
233 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will reconsider the application of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who has previously applied, and been turned down for, the back-to-education allowance given that the application was turned down on the grounds that the number of days during which the person was in receipt of social welfare payment fell short of the minimum given.
[5923/05]
54
D’fhiafraigh Mr. M. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an aontaíonn sé go bhfuil Foras na Gaeilge an iomarca faoi thionchar an Stáit (sonraí tugtha); agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[5795/05]
38
D’fhiafraigh Mr. M. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an aontaíonn sé go bhfuil buiséad mór ag Foras na Gaeilge agus ról straitéiseach náisiúnta nach bhfuil á chur i bhfeidhm (sonraí tugtha); agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina leith.
[5790/05]
72 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the total amount paid out in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and to date in 2005 either in respect of court awards or out of court settlements for claims taken against members of the gardaí in respect of assault, unlawful arrest, or other breach of a citizen’s right; the number of cases in which awards were made by the courts and the number of cases which were settled out of court; the number of such cases pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4931/05]
71 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of juvenile liaison officers in the gardaí at the latest date for which figures are available; his plans to extend the scheme in view of the proven success of it in dealing with juvenile offenders and in view of the huge work load carried out by juvenile liaison officers who are dealing with more than 17,000 juvenile offenders each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4930/05]
421 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the country to which it is proposed to deport persons (details supplied) in County Galway; if he will take into account the representations made to him and the uncertainty and danger to which these persons involved would be committed; and if, in view of these circumstances, he will discontinue the deportation proceedings and respond on humanitarian grounds to the case that has been made to him for permission to stay of these persons.
[4600/05]
129 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the reason CIE was recently granted a fare increase of 5% effective from the start of 2005, and not the 8% rise sought by the company; his views on whether the annual public subvention received by CIE is insufficient to meet the company’s costs, necessitating it to seek this annual fare increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4786/05]
88 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the situation in accident and emergency units in view of the decision of the Health and Safety Authority to order a safety inspection of all such units; the steps being taken to ensure that all such units comply with all relevant safety requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4247/05]
31 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in regard to the package of measures announced by her Department in the Estimates to improve accident and emergency services, she will list those measures implemented to date; the timetable for the implementation of each other planned measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4246/05]
113 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals to swap State owned land for completed housing to help fast track the building of affordable homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3893/05]
176 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the recent report of the NESC on housing and building land and the results of the research he has commissioned from a company (details supplied) into the ownership and control of building land in certain development areas, particularly Dublin, to determine whether current practices are retarding the overall delivery of building land or impeding long-term market stability; the action he intends to take arising from these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3892/05]
138 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the latest ESB generation adequacy report which states that there may be a significant shortage of power stations in years ahead if the ESB and other electricity companies do not improve the reliability of their plants; the consequences he foresees should such a situation arise; if there are any measures he can take to prevent this; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3581/05]
157 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a person holding both Irish citizenship and citizenship of another country, who was not born on the island of Ireland and who subsequently gives up their Irish citizenship can then re-invoke their Irish citizenship at a later stage, in view of the fact that an Irish person born on the island of Ireland is entitled to do just that; and if he has satisfied himself that there is no differentiation in the status of the two Irish persons in a case in which one was born on the island of Ireland and the other was not in this regard.
[3267/05]
71 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions she has had with the Department of Social and Family Affairs on the promise to reduce the qualifying period for the back to education allowance to nine months following the changes made by her predecessor; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3024/05]
35 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to finalise the functions of the National Adult Literacy Council; when it will be recalled; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3023/05]