146 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in the context of the recent proliferation of cash-for-gold shops, if planning approval or change of use permission is required for such premises.
[43441/10]
145 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the average waiting time for local authority tenants who are due to get a home extension on medical grounds; the criteria used in deciding which applicants are prioritised on these lists; if such extensions are funded from housing capital grants for the relevant year; if his Department or each individual council decides how much or the percentage of the housing fund that will be spent on these extensions; the average waiting time for applicants who live in the Dublin city council local authority area; and his views on the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 where the person has been on the waiting list for an extension since 2007.
[43439/10]
114 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform his views on the recent proliferation of cash for gold shops; if persons selling gold to these shops need to provide personal identification or receipts for the item they are selling, and if these shops are required to keep records of same; if the proprietors of these outlets require any kind of licence or permit to operate; his plans to introduce legislation regulating the operation of these outlets; if he has ever received complaints about these outlets and if investigations have been carried out on the basis of same; if planning approval or change of use permission is required for such premises; if the Garda Síochána has expressed concern regarding these shops; and if a link between house break-ins and these shops is suspected or proven.
[43440/10]
93 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the withdrawal of the Swords ambulance as notified by Dublin City Council management and in view of the fact that the withdrawal is founded in an inter-agency dispute with the Health Service Executive refusing to pay for same, if she will arrange to sort matters out with the various agencies under their remit.
[43444/10]
92 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide an update on the development of community-based mental health services as envisioned in the A Vision for Change policy of 2006; the number of patients that have been moved from institutional care settings to the type of community based accommodation proposed in this report; if the progress in implementing this report is being delayed due to reductions in health funding; the original proposals for the care of children in the A Vision for Change document; if any of these proposals have been implemented and if the number of children currently being cared for in settings that were originally intended for adults; if current staffing levels are sufficient to provide the type of care proposed under A Vision for Change; if current staffing levels and standard of care can be maintained following budget 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[43438/10]
239 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding contracts entered into by the gardaí with towing operators with or without car park compounds; if draft guidance documents are provided by his Department to assist with such contracts; his views on cases where persons co-operated with gardaí and allowed their cars to be taken away for forensic examination being charged storage charges as they did not collect their car rapidly when so advised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[42566/10]
176 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the provision of MRI scans and if they are provided free as part of the general medical services to inpatients and outpatients; the number of MRI scans that took place in the past year or any recent year for which data is available; if she will provide details of the waiting list for MRI scans in each of the individual Dublin hospitals; if the National Treatment Purchase Fund is dealing with the backlog of MRI scans; if any innovative scheme such as part payment by the client has been considered in cases of severe waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[42543/10]
277 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will clarify the situation regarding insulation of houses being sponsored and grant aided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; if planning approval is required in exterior insulation schemes; if so, the reason the SEAI does not inform persons of same, the reason it does not ask if planning approval has been granted before awarding grant approval; if a standard approach can be taken by all local authorities; if Dublin City Council can now be instructed to withdraw the warning notice under section 152 issued to a person (details supplied) who has done everything in accordance with the SEAI but has no planning approval.
[42207/10]
257 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the situation regarding insulation of houses being sponsored and grant aided by Sustainable Energy Ireland; if planning approval is required in exterior insulation schemes; if so, the reason SEI do not inform persons of same, the reason they do not ask if planning approval has been granted before awarding grant approval; if a standard approach can be taken by all local authorities; if Dublin City Council can now be instructed to withdraw the warning notice under section 152 issued to a person (details supplied) who has done everything in accordance with SEI but has no planning approval.
[42206/10]
200 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will clarify the position regarding the practice by supermarkets of selling alcohol at exceptionally low price levels; if below-cost selling is allowed; if there is any policy or inquiries into same; if the relevant price is the invoiced price or if transportation, warehousing, profit and so on are considered to judge the base price; if there are health concerns regarding the level of alcohol now being consumed at home; if a minimum floor price for the sale of alcohol can be set to control consumption and provide fair competition with pubs; if trends in this direction in Scotland are being monitored and if an all-Ireland policy can be implemented
[42204/10]
151 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will examine the situation regarding delays to medical card appeal cases in the Health Service Executive; the length of time an appeal process should take; if she will seek a report on the case of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[42205/10]
150 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide an update on proposed legislation regarding protection of human embryos; if heads of this legislation have been released; if a target date for publishing of this legislation can be outlined; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[42202/10]
211 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform his views on recent media reports regarding the courts support service offered to victims and families of victims of crime being severely reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[42012/10]
150 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding plans for the now vacant Garda station (details supplied); if still allocated to the gardaí, its future plans for same and if the Office of Public Works has considered other uses for this building if not required by gardaí or the Department of Justice and Law Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[42011/10]
127 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if there is a problem with approvals for building projects for a school (details supplied); her views on the assertion that no approvals have been given for over 12 months to projects in this category; if she will list approvals given in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[42009/10]
126 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding plans for a new school (details supplied); the stage the development plans are at and when contract approval can expect to be given.
[42008/10]
247 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the long-term illness card and if narcolepsy qualifies as being in the family of conditions approved under epilepsy; if narcolepsy can be allowed as covered under epilepsy or any other listed condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[41593/10]
270 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the position regarding the practice of some supermarkets in selling alcohol at exceptionally low price levels; if below cost selling is permitted; if there is any policing of or inquiries into same; if the relevant price is the invoiced price or if transportation, warehousing, profit are considered to judge the base price; if there are health concerns regarding the level of alcohol now being consumed at home; if a minimum floor price for the sale of alcohol can be set to control consumption, improve tax take and provide fair competition with pubs; if trends in this direction in Scotland are being monitored; if an all-Ireland policy can be implemented.
[40903/10]
226 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding agencies under his remit (details supplied), changing corporate name and so on; his views on media reports regarding cost for such change; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40894/10]
222 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to change the legislation regarding fines due for litter left at bottle banks; if he will ask local authorities to use their discretion and pursue the serious offenders rather than some marginal cases as covered by media lately or else introduce a staged fine system where minor or serious offenders could be treated appropriate to the offence, whereas currently some enforcement is seen as over zealous; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40895/10]
187 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding home deliveries of alcohol products; if home deliveries are in accordance with legislation; if the products should be paid for on a licensed premises; if paying over the phone or e-mail by bank card is in order; if advertising the fact that you have a delivery service with or without specifying the delivery charge is in order; and if delivering to a location (details supplied) other than a dwelling is in order.
[40902/10]
186 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding the selling to under age persons of alcohol products; if he will provide the enforcing agency in this case; the persons that would have to give evidence in court and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40901/10]
156 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the practice of some supermarkets in selling alcohol at exceptionally low price levels; if below cost selling is permitted; if there is any policing or inquiries into same; if the relevant price is the invoiced price or if transportation, warehousing, profit are considered to judge the base price; if there are health concerns regarding the level of alcohol now being consumed at home; if a minimum floor price for the sale of alcohol can be set to control consumption, improve tax take and provide fair competition with pubs; if trends in this direction in Scotland are being monitored; if an all-Ireland policy can be implemented.
[40904/10]
155 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the selling to under age persons of tobacco products; if she will provide the enforcing agency in this case; the persons that would have to give evidence in court and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[40900/10]
154 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding setting up a policy on a bilateral agreement with Russia on adoption; the steps taken to achieve same; if she is working with one or a number of support groups on same and if names can be quoted on same groups; if greater compliance of post-placement reports has been achieved and if Russia is satisfied with progress; under new adoption legislation will it be her Department that is the relevant recognised Department or is that power delegated to the Office of the Minister for Children and the target date for a bilateral agreement with Russia.
[40899/10]
153 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the income guideline figures for medical cards; if dates are available for the number being refused with income under the €25 a week; if she will report on withdrawal of medical card for a person (details supplied) in their early 60s with severe medical expenses and problems because of €22 a week job pension.
[40898/10]
152 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding and if she will provide data on the number of long-term medical card holders who have had their medical card withdrawn or altered in the past two years (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[40897/10]
151 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the programmes or financial assistance available to parents who wish to get their older school going daughters protected with the HPV vaccine; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[40896/10]
119 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the tax relief available to parents who wish their older schoolgoing daughters to be protected by the HPV vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[40896/10]
102 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the regulation on reckonable income used in the assessment of third level grant applications; if car loans are normally regarded as an asset or as reckonable income or an asset in the assessment of grant applications and the rationale behind same; her views on the case of an application (details supplied) that was refused by Fingal County Council, who included the value of a car loan when they were calculating the family’s annual means; and if the applicant in question who received a grant for the 2009-10 college year can have their application refused when their family’s annual income including the value of car loan has actually decreased by more than 10% since this time last year.
[40906/10]
64 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will clarify the situation for the development of a mapping system by a company (details supplied); if there are guidelines agreed between the company and the Department; if copy of same can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[39588/10]
178 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual take from increases in PRSI contribution rates as follows, a one percentage point increase in employers rate, a one percentage point increase in each individual employees category that is self employed, full rate contribution, reduced rate contribution; a one percentage point increase as in the latter plus extension in upper limit to €150,000.
[38443/10]
177 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection all categories currently on a reduced rate, or in receipt of exemptions or partial payment status in respect of payment of PRSI employees or employers contributions; an estimate of cost of each exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[38442/10]
176 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the social insurance fund; the date on which it was set up; the estimated figures for annual income inflows, outpayments and current financial position; the contributions that goes into the fund in relation to contributions from the various PRSI paying categories; the social welfare benefits and schemes which are funded from the fund; the way this list compares with the original intent; if far greater demands are placed on the fund now in relation to the number of schemes funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[38441/10]
119 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will outline the criteria used and arrange daily transport for a person (details supplied) to a day care centre.
[38445/10]
267 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the level of protection given to persons who register an invention with the Irish Patent Office; the international protection a patent holder is entitled to on the basis of an Irish patent; the steps a person must take to ensure that they are the sole owner of the intellectual property rights associated with an invention in countries other than Ireland; the options open to a person who, having registered a patent in Ireland, finds that a patent for the same or similar invention was granted in another country on a date after their original application; and the assistance he can give to an Irish patent holder (details supplied) who is being challenged by a multinational corporation over the ownership of intellectual property rights for a new form of internal combustion engine.
[38156/10]
202 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the average waiting period for Garda clearance; the measures being taken to speed up the Garda vetting process and reduce the backlog; when an person (details supplied) will receive clearance.
[38157/10]
178 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the service levels available to applicants for over 70 years medical card; if there is a maximum period for processing and if compensation for medical expenses during the delay period can be made in respect of persons (details supplied).
[38073/10]
126 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform when the recruitment campaign to the Garda will be advertised; if he will give details of numbers sought, and if a percentage of places will be reserved for gardaí currently serving in the Garda Reserve force or how the investment in interest and commitment shown by the Garda Reserve will be acknowledged and rewarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36904/10]
76 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Finance to clarify the situation regarding the rent a room scheme; the qualifying rules for same and confirm if a separate dwelling unit (details supplied), separated from main home by a few feet qualifies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[37086/10]
146 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of the trend in rate of unemployment, the percentage of work force unemployed since 1980; the year which had the highest rate; the rate in that year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35673/10]
192 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the rate of contributory old age pension for a single person for each year from 1997 to date in 2010; the relevant consumer price index inflation rate if available for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35671/10]
118 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children to examine the case of withdrawal of medical card from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35603/10]
117 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the number and types of medical cards — full, over 70 years and general practitioner-only — currently in issue on the most recent date available; if figures are available nationally or for each region; and the number of cards withdrawn in the past few years.
[35602/10]
116 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons over 70 years in receipt of a medical card; the number who have lost their cards on income grounds since means testing was introduced; the estimated annual savings as a result of the means testing decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35601/10]
93 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide details in percentages of overall Government debt to GDP for a sample or range of years since 1980; the years in which it was at its highest in the 1980s and the way this compares with current levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35670/10]
91 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the cost of assistance given to banks and building societies in the current crisis in the past few years to include investments made to each institution, cash transfer, current, to each institution or promised to each institution and the phases of the promised transfers; in respect of payments to date, the source of the funds, for example, the National Pensions Reserve Fund, current Government expenditure and borrowings and if he will outline his efforts to inform the public that their taxes are not going to bail out the banks as is the current perception.
[35600/10]
82 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on plans to refurbish a school hall (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the details of proposed works; the estimated cost of same; the planning and preparation necessary and if a timetable for start of refurbishment and duration of works can be outlined.
[35669/10]
81 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the summer works scheme for primary and secondary level schools and in relation to projects approved for 2010, if cost estimates and actual costs, if available, be authorised for schools (details supplied).
[35668/10]
80 Deputy Noel Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on plans to construct a school hall at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9; if approval for same has been granted; the cost estimation for same; if provision is included in 2010 finances; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35667/10]