70 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the recommendation of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes that the Health and Safety Authority and the National Employment Rights Authority should be merged to form one Work Place Inspectorate; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[41059/09]
127 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by the Garda representative bodies at the implications of proposed cutbacks on Garda services; the discussions he has had or plans to have on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40144/09]
101 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date in 2009 regarding the implementation of those sections of the programme for Government under the headings of community payback, parental responsibility and anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40143/09]
51 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport the reason regarding the establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority; the way the new proposals to transform the DTA into a National Transport Authority will affect progress on making the DTA operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[39534/09]
13 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport if the new chairperson and chief executive officer designate of the Dublin Transport Authority will become the chair and CEO of the new National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[39535/09]
178 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the ongoing crisis in the area of inter-country adoption; if she will report on a recent meeting (details supplied) held with Vietnamese officials at which it was believed the matter would be discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39461/09]
177 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing tragedy of suicide here; her views on whether further cuts in the health budget and particularly in the budget for mental health will exacerbate this tragedy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39460/09]
176 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether reductions to the mental health budget, both current and in budget 2010, are reasonable and fair; her further views on whether further cuts will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39459/09]
179 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the ongoing crisis in the area of inter-country adoption and in particular the impasse surrounding those persons who have been caught in a transitional phase whereby their applications will be void at the conclusion of a new deal on inter-country adoptions; if a transitional agreement will be concluded on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39462/09]
118 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children if she has evaluated the proposals in the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes Report as they relate to health and children; her views on the proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[39283/09]
769 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent arrest of human rights activists in Morocco who are being held without charge; his views on same; if this matter has been discussed at international level, at the European Union or United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[38258/09]
169 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken to combat the trafficking of illicit drugs through private airports here, particularly in view of recent high profile legal actions relating to the smuggling of significant amounts of heroin through an airport (details supplied) in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37702/09]
133 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance his views on the Economic and Social Research Institute’s latest forecast, in their most recent quarterly economic bulletin, that the general Government balance is set to reach 12.8% in 2010, and that the debt to gross domestic product ratio is set to reach 75.7%, excluding the National Asset Management Agency, that this could be significantly higher depending on the level of capital injections into the banking system here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37701/09]
108 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress regarding the relocation of the Abbey Theatre; the implications of the revised programme for Government commitment to relocate the theatre to the General Post Office, Dublin; the amount of money spent to date on the original relocation; if this is to be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37376/09]
609 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the relocation of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if it is proposed that this situation be rectified and adequate grounds be located for this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37038/09]
384 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that have been established to make it possible to distinguish between Israeli and settlement goods that he referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 755 of 6 October 2009; and if he has adopted these measures.
[37042/09]
383 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans regarding the negotiation on a strong international arms treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37040/09]
382 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to seek a more peaceful world by offering Ireland’s support, and campaigning, for a strong international arms treaty to stop irresponsible arms transfers with a view that such be universally enacted by 2012; the position he will take on this at the first committee meeting of the UN in order to support the conclusion of an arms trade treaty by 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37039/09]
294 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children her plans to hold a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, who, it is reported is visiting Ireland in October 2009; and if, at such a meeting, it is planned that she will discuss the recommencement of inter-country adoptions between Ireland and Vietnam.
[37248/09]
231 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the measures that have been established to make it possible to distinguish between Israeli and settlement goods that the Minister for Foreign Affairs referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 755 of 6 October 2009; and if he has adopted these measures.
[37043/09]
230 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to a non-paper forwarded by the UK Government to the European Commission in 2009 in respect of customs checks on goods from illegal Israeli settlements; the measures which customs officials take to ascertain that goods imported from Israel have not been produced in illegal settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37041/09]
142 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the implications for primary school forward planning in view of recent data from the Central Statistics Office which indicated that the birth rate here is the highest in Europe and the highest birth rate since 1896; the arrangements that have been and will be put in place to ensure that there are adequate primary school places in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37094/09]
126 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to encourage or propose voluntary clustering of rural primary schools having regard to the fact that 75% of the network of the 3,200 primary schools cater for nearly 25% of the 500,000 primary school population; if his attention has been drawn to the positive outcome this would create in terms of resources and an efficient deployment of personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37093/09]
89 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of inspections to be carried out under the single payment scheme in 2009; the number carried out to date in 2009; and the number of penalties imposed.
[36208/09]
63 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when unannounced inspections commenced in 2009; when they will be concluded.
[36209/09]
133 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the market value of a house acquired under the leasing initiative increases substantially in value over the course of the lease period benefit will accrue to the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35821/09]
156 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will bring legislation before the Houses of the Oireachtas in autumn 2009 to provide for directly elected mayors; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35822/09]
503 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has plans to insist that mature students receive the necessary training in order to maximise their employment potential; and if so, the nature of that plan.
[35614/09]
502 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes Report’s recommendation that course fees should be introduced for mature students.
[35613/09]
37 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his target for ocean energy technology; when the licence for the grid application was made; when the licence was granted; the number of applications received; the amount of the €26 million announced for ocean energy that will be spent in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35523/09]
33 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish the findings of the Fuel Poverty Action Research Project; when this was first due for publication; the numbers living in fuel poverty; the number of people who benefited from the warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35522/09]
157 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason birth certificates for adopted persons are not available from Joyce House in Dublin on the same basis as all other birth certificates; if she will make arrangements to ensure that the same service is available from Joyce House to every citizen regardless of whether they were adopted; her views on whether the different treatment of adopted persons is appropriate; and if she will ensure that there is a full review of the service in order that all of these deficiencies will be eradicated.
[34587/09]
179 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans in relation to the ending or amendment of entitlement to dual payments as recommended by the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes.
[34419/09]
755 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether it is consistent policy for Ireland to oppose the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank while at the same time allowing goods originating from those illegal settlements to be sold in the market here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33061/09]
237 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the list of illegal settlement postcodes drawn up by the EU to ensure that Member States do not offer preferential trade agreements to produce originating in these postcodes.
[33060/09]
236 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of checks made on imported Israeli goods in 2008 to verify that the goods were not from an illegal settlement.
[33058/09]
183 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on whether it is acceptable that, due to unclear labelling, consumers here are not always able to distinguish if goods produced in the West Bank have been produced in an illegal Israeli settlement or in a Palestinian controlled area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33059/09]
182 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to a non-paper forwarded by the UK Government to the European Commission in 2009 in relation to customs checks on goods from illegal Israeli settlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33057/09]
150
D’fhiafraigh Deputy Michael D. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cathain a dhéanfar aon chinneadh ar theorainneacha na Gaeltachta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh.
[34188/09]
131
D’fhiafraigh Deputy Michael D. Higgins den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén dul chun cinn atá déanta ar Bhille Údarás na Gaeltachta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh.
[34189/09]
19 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide a list of the tasks currently being carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32339/09]
39 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated figure for overall overseas development aid spending for the coming years on a yearly basis; if the target of 0.7% by 2012 remains credible; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31734/09]
7 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he will take and the initiatives, within the European Union, that he will initiate or support by way of response to the UN report on the recent killings, injuries and destruction in Gaza and neighbouring areas in Israel (details supplied); and the further steps as indicated in the report as appropriate Ireland will initiate or support.
[32668/09]
5 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent expulsion of UNICEF officials from Sri Lanka for seeking to highlight the detention of civilians and treatment of children, among others, during the conflict in the country; if he supports the call for an international investigation into human rights abuses; his views on same; and the steps the international community is taking in order to help restore peace.
[31856/09]
237 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on accession discussions being held between Iceland and European Union.
[32070/09]
58 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the calls made by the European Commission for more refugees from conflict zones to be admitted into the EU; the steps he is taking in order to achieve this aim; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31742/09]
45 Deputy Michael D. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recommendation contained in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes that responsibility for the operation of immigration control at the point of entry should be transferred to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31148/09]