12 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the call by the president of the Irish Hotels Federation (details supplied) for the recruitment of additional women into the workforce to help deal with labour shortages; the plans, if any, he has to assist with this recruitment drive in view of the consequences of these labour shortages for the tourism industry; if he has discussed or plans to discuss this matter with CERT; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7019/00]
10 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the call by the president of the Irish Hotels Federation (details supplied) for a better regional distribution of the benefits of tourism; his views on whether this is a worthy objective; the proposals, if any, he has to achieve this objective; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7020/00]
19 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the working group on relative income poverty will be established; and the terms of reference of this group regarding indexation and benchmarking.
[6159/00]
19 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the working group on relative income poverty will be established; and the terms of reference of this group regarding indexation and benchmarking.
[6159/00]
11 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the significant variation in the rate of caesarean section operations performed in hospitals, particularly in view of concerns that these operations may lead to increased risk of illness and death among women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5495/00]
52 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans, if any, he has to introduce stricter criteria governing the disposal of cattle carcases by burial in view of reports that a small number of animals which tested positive for BSE were buried; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5045/00]
52 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the plans, if any, he has to introduce stricter criteria governing the disposal of cattle carcases by burial in view of reports that a small number of animals which tested positive for BSE were buried; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5045/00]
10 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional funding, if any, he will provide for DEXA scanners, essential for diagnosis of osteoporosis, of which there are only 12 in the country, in view of the fact that women over 50 have a one in two chance of developing the condition; if he will subvent the cost of a scan, which stands at between £50 and £60; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22847/99]
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Finance the proposals, if any, he has in respect of the use of moneys recovered from financial institutions and others by way of arrears of deposit interest retention tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22700/99]
83 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his Department's views on the possibility of a new agreement on agriculture arising from the meeting of the World Trade Organisation in November 1999 in Seattle; if he will ensure that the interests of the developing countries are protected in the context of any new agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22425/99]
83 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development his Department's views on the possibility of a new agreement on agriculture arising from the meeting of the World Trade Organisation in November 1999 in Seattle; if he will ensure that the interests of the developing countries are protected in the context of any new agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22425/99]
12 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on an NESC report which indicates that public service pay has been increasing at a rate significantly ahead of wages in the private sector.
[16136/99]
18 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his views on the development plan for Killybegs produced by Killybegs Offshore Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16014/99]
13 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that young people participating in apprenticeships paying the equiv alent of social welfare rates are not eligible for rent allowances; if he will review this regulation given that it may put pressure on apprentices who are not living in the family home to give up the apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14590/99]
4 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence the amount of military waste dumped at sea by the Defence Forces; where this material has been dumped; if ongoing monitoring of this waste is carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13164/99]
2 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence the position in relation to the sale of the houses at Orchard Park, The Curragh, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13168/99]
5 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the steps, if any, taken or envisaged by his Department to fulfil the commitment made in An Action Programme for the Millennium to maximise the amount of fish processed to a second or higher level; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8555/99]
76 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence if the final report has been received from the court of inquiry established to investigate an incident in Kilworth Camp in December 1997 in which a soldier lost a hand and four others were less seriously injured while training with a mortar; if so, the conclusions of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4997/99]
76 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence if the final report has been received from the court of inquiry established to investigate an incident in Kilworth Camp in December 1997 in which a soldier lost a hand and four others were less seriously injured while training with a mortar; if so, the conclusions of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4997/99]
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the conclusions reached from the recent series of meetings between the Minister of State at her Department and the large retail multiples in her efforts to curb excessive retail profit margins on farm produce.
[26121/98]
37 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself that the Defence Forces are properly equipped to deal with all international duties that they may be asked to perform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22982/98]
37 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself that the Defence Forces are properly equipped to deal with all international duties that they may be asked to perform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22982/98]
8 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the reports of a major offensive in East Timor; and the steps, if any, being undertaken by the international community to address the situation.
[22035/98]
27 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need to ensure that there are adequate drug testing facilities for sport in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20583/98]
11 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the meetings, if any, he has had with sporting organisations to discuss measures to end the misuse of drugs in sport in view of the revelations of drug abuse in Irish rugby; the action, if any, he has taken to bring forward legislation as a matter of urgency which would oblige sporting organisations to deal effectively with revelations of drugs misuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20643/98]
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received a response from the Irish Amateur Swimming Association arising from the report from the Murphy inquiry into child abuse in swimming; the discussions, if any, he has had with the association regarding the contents of the report and the future funding of that organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15470/98]
38 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the way in which he intends to deal with the report of the Pensions Board.
[14453/98]
38 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the way in which he intends to deal with the report of the Pensions Board.
[14453/98]
17 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the interim funding measures, if any, he proposes to support Irish swimmers in view of continuing delays over the publication of the Murphy report into abuse in swimming; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11461/98]
15 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when the evaluation committee established to assess the tender submissions for the national conference centre is expected to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11460/98]
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if recipients of a social welfare payment who require a medical examination are allowed a companion with them when they attend a medical referee; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10101/98]
2 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress, if any, he has had at EU level in having the thrust of the Agenda 2000 proposals rescinded; the plans, if any, he has over the forthcoming weeks to lobby against the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9428/98]
7 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will report on the level of non-compliance with tachograph regulations identified in the years 1995, 1996, 1997; if it is the intention to organise a concentrated period of checks to impress on drivers and transport operators that they must comply with the law in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[8389/98]
43 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no provisions have been put in place for legal fees for the senior counsel, junior counsel or solicitors or persons, who by virtue of their membership of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association, will be required to co-operate fully with the independent inquiry into sexual abuse in swimming; his views on whether the absence of provision of legal fees or the ability to be similarly legally represented constitutes a denial of justice to Irish Amateur Swimming Association members and deprives the independent inquiry of necessary witnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7268/98]
43 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no provisions have been put in place for legal fees for the senior counsel, junior counsel or solicitors or persons, who by virtue of their membership of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association, will be required to co-operate fully with the independent inquiry into sexual abuse in swimming; his views on whether the absence of provision of legal fees or the ability to be similarly legally represented constitutes a denial of justice to Irish Amateur Swimming Association members and deprives the independent inquiry of necessary witnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7268/98]
26 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the number of people who have made statements or given interviews to the independent inquiry into sexual abuse in swimming being conducted by a person (details supplied); the number who have refused to make statements or otherwise co-operate; and when the final report will be made public.
[7420/98]
22 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will accede to the demand of persons (details supplied) to hold a judicial inquiry into a sexual abuse scandal, which will have the power to demand the disclosure of all documents and to compel witnesses to appear before it.
[3540/98]
22 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will accede to the demand of persons (details supplied) to hold a judicial inquiry into a sexual abuse scandal, which will have the power to demand the disclosure of all documents and to compel witnesses to appear before it.
[3540/98]
56 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the negotiations, if any, which have taken place with the Department of the Environment and Local Government to ensure proper planned recreational areas in all future housing estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21501/97]
56 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the negotiations, if any, which have taken place with the Department of the Environment and Local Government to ensure proper planned recreational areas in all future housing estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21501/97]
2 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the proposals, if any, his Department has to remove the burden of rates from fish farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19192/97]
9 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Finance whether it is the official Government position that the 10 per cent rate of corporation tax which expires in the year 2010 will be replaced by a universal corporation tax which will apply to all companies and will apply at the level of 15 per cent on traded profits and 25 per cent on passive income and that this regime would prevail until the year 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15717/97]
54 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department have had discussions with the farming organisations regarding (1) the reason for the recent demonstrations by sheep farmers at Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 and (2) the need for such demonstrations in future to be eliminated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
54 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department have had discussions with the farming organisations regarding (1) the reason for the recent demonstrations by sheep farmers at Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 and (2) the need for such demonstrations in future to be eliminated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
3 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the changes affecting Ireland which were agreed on 30 June 1992, at the meeting of the EC Council of Ministers; whether compensatory payments were agreed for any reduction in milk quotas in 1993-94; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
36 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline this country's current political and economic ties with South Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
56 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has satisfied himself with the diagnostic procedure, including blood testing, carried out by his Department in animals suspected of BSE, and if he will make a statement on the matter.