84 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress that has been made to introduce regional taskforces under the National Drugs Strategy to tackle the growing drug problem in regions outside of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32482/07]
94 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the deadline for preparation of the strategy to help the Irish language will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32483/07]
586 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, when an undertaken is given in writing by a director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (details supplied), in relation to activities on land designated special areas of conservation, it is binding on the organisation and its successors.
[32211/07]
67 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measures in place to ensure that all families entitled to receive family income supplement are receiving it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32280/07]
64 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the general public can not get through to the child benefit phone number in Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28560/07]
172 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the remaining appeals under the national heritage area designation will be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31703/07]
51 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals she has to set up a conversion course here where nurses qualified as SENs in England can upgrade their qualifications to State registered nurse; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31704/07]
121 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views that in view of this country’s experience in the resolution of conflict in the island of Ireland, the Irish Government could assist the Government of Sri Lanka in conflict resolution in its own peace process, therefore preventing a slide towards full civil war; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29768/07]
102 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the IDA will allow Galway City Council to take over the sewer system at Ballybrit, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30364/07]
74 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason, from August 2007 University College Hospital Galway, is no longer financing orthotics equipment for special needs children; if her attention has been drawn to the long term damage that can be caused to children’s feet, limbs and development by the refusal of the HSE west to finance the provision of orthotics equipment for those special needs children; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30356/07]
64 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the steps he will take to compensate private bus operators regarding the removal of the refund of excise duty on fuel which amounts to 0.34533 cent per litre; the reason the private bus operators were not made aware when this tax rebate expired in December 2006 despite the fact that the Government was aware of the situation and that private bus operators had signed school contracts and other contracts set at a level for 2008 without this knowledge that the rebate was to be removed; the further reason bus operators were discriminated against compared to Bus Éireann which apparently were made aware that the rebate was removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30352/07]
44 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will set up a development strategy group for the pig industry as requested by the IFA, IAPP, and Teagasc; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30141/07]
305 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason the farm improvement scheme has been abolished after such a short period in view of the fact that the scheme enabled farmers to achieve competitiveness and meet very high environmental standards and the raft of new obligations and restrictions imposed on farmers by the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28204/07]
70 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of staff from his Department who have been decentralised to locations outside Dublin to date; the cost to the Exchequer to date of his Department’s decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27344/07]
56 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans for the upgrading of the Garda Technical Bureau; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27343/07]
150 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Transport his proposals to ensure that all private and public buses will be accessible for disabled people; when it is expected that this will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24553/07]
9 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Transport the role his Department has in the provision of bus services to utilise the port tunnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24403/07]
97 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the position he will adopt at the World Bank IMF meeting in October 2007 in respect of anticipated decisions; and if he will be tabling resolutions on behalf of Ireland.
[23601/07]
67 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the recent State of the Net report which described the north west as a broadband black spot; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23121/07]
224 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government have plans for the establishment of an embassy in Thailand in view of the number of Irish citizens living and visiting the country.
[22973/07]
106 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the actions he proposes to take in respect of implementing the recommendations of the recently published Report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, Policing in Ireland: Looking Forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22551/07]
173 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take to ensure the establishment of a warfarin clinic at University College Hospital Galway in view of the fact that this is the centre of highest population in the western region; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22068/07]
26 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if discussions have taken place between him and his Department with EU Commissioner Charlie Mc Creevy in relation to the regulations for one-off houses; if discussions have taken place in this regard; if he or his Department has made any recommendations to the EU Commissioner in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21018/07]
486 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Transport and the Marine if he will clarify the situation whereby some driving test centres in Galway City and County closed in July 2007 thus increasing the waiting time for applicants where there are a large number of applicants on the waiting list and whereby no notice was given of such closures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20188/07]
341 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the recruitment of home help assistance; if vacancies are filled when home helpers retire; if the embargo on the recruitment of staff is affecting the recruitment of home help assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20187/07]
176 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he will take to fulfil the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government to extend the amount those in receipt of the State non-contributory pension are allowed to earn without it affecting their pension entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20806/07]
119 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he will take to fulfil the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government to ensure a national carer’s strategy will be developed by end 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20807/07]
139 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18706/07]
158 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of home care packages made available to date in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17710/07]
135 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people in receipt of home help in each county for each of the years 1997 to 2006 and to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17709/07]
546 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to an application for an extension to a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17122/07]
545 Deputy Pádraic McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding an extension to a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17121/07]
38 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he has taken during his time in office to enable small businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded service sectors to gain access to research based knowledge, expertise and facilities in higher education institutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15560/07]
409 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation regarding the threat by many dentists to abandon the free dental treatment for medical card holders due to the failure of the Health Service Executive to complete a review of the medical card dental scheme with the Irish Dental Association; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14628/07]
229 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Finance if he will exempt certain categories of people from the recent increase in registration tax on high powered vehicles when such vehicles are used by people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14363/07]
339 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 Paragraph 1, Part 2 discriminates against a married woman where she is working with her husband who is a sole trader and in that situation is unable to pay the relevant PRSI contribution required to qualify her for maternity benefit while if she was single and living with the sole trader but not married to him, she would be eligible to pay the relevant contribution and qualify for maternity benefit; if this clearly discriminates against a married woman in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13553/07]
48 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the initiatives his Department will take on foot of the National Housing Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13430/07]
4 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to resolve the problems surrounding the contamination of drinking water in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13818/07]
563 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding an application by a school (details supplied) in County Galway where pupils are in overcrowded classrooms and the school is catering for 135 students with a projected increase to 157 in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[12427/07]
87 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether drug driving is a major cause of road fatalities and injuries; if so, the proposals he will introduce to tackle this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12698/07]
68 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Transport if he has received the new Road Safety Strategy; if not, the reason for the delay; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12697/07]
520 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding an application for extension for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if this extension has been approved; when the go-ahead will be given for the building of the extension which will have over 400 pupils enrolled in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11096/07]
467 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Transport the regulations regarding the operators licence for commercial vehicles or buses; if holders of such licences are obliged to have adequate parking facilities for their vehicle; if they are in breach of their licence by parking such vehicles in a dangerous manner in residential estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11109/07]
173 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in regard to the provision of an east west electricity interconnector; when the facility will be built and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11444/07]
114 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he proposes to incentivise the use of home produced alternative fuels in the transport sector with a view to combating global warming while at the same time maximising the economic benefit nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11443/07]
280 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has plans to change the regulations in relation to the issuing of a vehicle registration certificate which only permits one name to be issued on the certificate as opposed to two names in the case of a couple purchasing a vehicle; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10900/07]
172 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount spent in rent supplement in each county and city for 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10937/07]
80 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the level of investment to be allocated by her Department in 2007 towards the refurbishment of science buildings and facilities at second level schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10758/07]
76 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the delay in the introduction of standardised testing at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[10787/07]
141 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the provisions of the European Communities Bill 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10401/07]