244 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the fact that vacancies for aeronautical engineers within the Air Corps are open only to officers and that members of the Defence Forces including Air Corps aircraft inspector sergeants and those with appropriate higher and MA degrees are excluded from applying; his views on whether this is in conflict with his stated declaration of commissioning suitable qualified non-commissioned personnel in all areas of the Defences Forces; if he will change this practice in order to recruit for such vacancies from qualified enlisted personnel in the first instance; when he plans to do this; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22017/07]
126 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of persons employed full time and part time in farming in 1997, 2002 and the latest date for which figures are available; her plans to reverse the decline in the numbers working in farming; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21792/07]
481 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the circumstances set out in (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21935/07]
456 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that Gardaí in Kilkenny City are adequately supplied with vehicles both marked and unmarked; the number of marked and unmarked vehicles allocated to the city area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21495/07]
155 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science when the full complement of 300 welfare officers will be sanctioned for the Education Welfare Board in order that it can fulfil its statutory duty with regard to school attendance; her views on the body’s assertion that it is only intervening in 10% of cases referred to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21618/07]
28 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs what is the up to date position regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Official Languages Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20989/07]
9 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made in regard to the review of sceim labhairt na gaeilge in the context of modern day needs and ways to promote the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20990/07]
1003 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for leave to remain for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 2; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20454/07]
1002 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for leave to remain for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 2; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20453/07]
1001 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for leave to remain for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20452/07]
174 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his legislative priorities for the 30th Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20722/07]
179 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide, in relation to the separate competition for Gaeltacht students to access places in the Colleges of Education for primary teachers, the names of the Colleges where there is a separate competition; the names of the Colleges, where there is not a separate competition; the number of places allocated to this separate competition in 2006; if these places were all taken up; if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by students regarding the fairness of the allocation of places at lower CAO points levels on the basis of Gaeltacht residency; her views on such concerns; if the College of Education B. Ed. degree entry requirement to have not less than a C grade in honours Leaving Certificate Gaeilge is sufficient as a recognition of the importance of the language for primary teachers, without having a separate Gaeltacht competition; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[19424/07]
36 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the development of a new national conference centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19262/07]
555 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to review local authority electoral area boundaries in advance of the next local elections particularly having regard to the significant population changes experienced in many areas since the boundaries were last reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18471/07]
203 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 is desperately in need of speech therapy in their existing special school; if she will ensure that this school is enabled to provide such speech therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[18559/07]
130 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the concern of British/Irish Rightswatch as to the request of the Federal Republic of Germany for the extradition of an Irish citizen (details supplied) in view of the impact on the person’s health, and the conclusion by the British authorities that there was not sustainable evidence for the charge for which the extradition was sought; if his Department has discussed this matter with the British Home Secretary; and if it is his intention to do so.
[18644/07]
7 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if, in regard to his statement of 7 June 2007, the meeting he was seeking with IBEC and ICTU to discuss measures to tackle inflationary pressures has been held; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16874/07]
6 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns expressed by trade union leaders regarding the implications of the continuing high level of inflation and the view expressed that negotiations for a new national pay agreement may have to be brought forward; his response to these calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16873/07]
5 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when the last meeting with the social partners under the auspices of Towards 2016 was held; when the next meeting is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16872/07]
84 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport and the Marine the action he proposes to take under section 41 of the Roads Act, 1993 or otherwise, to provide a more effective policy on the provision of lay-bys and set down areas on motorways and major inter-urban routes.
[17916/07]
68 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport and the Marine his views on the request from the Medical Bureau of Road Safety for increased funding and resources to allow for an expansion of its drug-testing programme.
[17915/07]
154 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children when the Health Service Executive review into pathology services will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17612/07]
100 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on the disclosure that the Health Service Executive handed back almost €100 million in unspent money to the Exchequer in 2006; the amount that was returned in 2005; the amount spent to date in 2007; the projects submitted to the HSE in 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007 related to new hospital beds, step down beds and new hospital equipment in 2006; the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17605/07]
10 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU summit in Brussels on 21 and 22 June 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16876/07]
9 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach his plans for official trips abroad up to the end of 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16875/07]
574 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the sections of the Education Act 1998 which have not commenced; the proposed commencement date in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17441/07]
573 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science when the first statutory Educational Disadvantage Committee completed its term of office; when the committee was re-established and its remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17440/07]
572 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the current amount of the capitation grant to primary schools; the amount for the school year 2007 to 2008; the current amount of each of the other standard grants paid annually to primary schools to assist with running, equipment and other costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17439/07]
122 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the amount of outstanding uncollected taxes; the proportion of same the Revenue Commissioners expect to recover; if new measures are planned to assist in the collection of outstanding taxes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17172/07]
93 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of random audits carried out by the Revenue Commissioners in 2006 and to date in 2007; the way this compares with each year from 2003 to date in 2007; the number expected to be undertaken during 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17173/07]
12 Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the plans he has for meeting the new British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16883/07]
55 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the dedicated supports available to companies from agencies under the remit of his Department aimed at increasing awareness of, and promoting, eco efficiency in their operations; the number of companies to date who have taken advantage of these supports; the cost to the State of these supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15454/07]
31 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on plans for a trade mission to Egypt and Jordan in 2007; if it is intended that there be a Ministerial delegation as part of this trade mission; the estimated cost of the trade mission; his goals and targets for the trade mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15465/07]
7 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when he last received a report from the High Court Judge, designated under section 8 of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 to keep the Act under review; the main findings of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8702/07]
6 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he has received a report from the judge designated under section 67 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 to keep under review the provisions of that Act in regard to powers given to the Garda to access data in regard to telephone records; if the report included details on the number of occasions on which these powers were invoked by the Garda to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8550/07]
5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when he last received a report from the complaints referee appointed under section 9 of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages (Regulation) Act 1993; the main findings of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8549/07]
2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the opening in Dublin Castle on 26 February 2007 of the structured dialogue with churches, faith communities and non-confessional bodies; the way he envisages this process advancing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8370/07]
766 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her Department has plans to compensate farmers who lost large sums of money with the collapse of the Tralee Beef and Lamb factory in 2001, particularly in view of the fact that some suppliers lost tens of thousands of euro; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14603/07]
627 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the plight of a number of former miners in the Slieveardagh coalfields in north Tipperary who have suffered significant damage to their health arising from their employment; his views on the establishment of a compensation scheme for such miners similar to that operating in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14644/07]
596 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the plight of a number of former miners in the Slieveardagh coalfields in north Tipperary who have suffered significant damage to their health arising from their employment; his views on the establishment of a compensation scheme for such miners similar to that operating in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14605/07]
400 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children if she has received a request from a group (details supplied) in County Kerry for the use of around 30 acres of Health Service Executive lands at Ballydribeen, Killarney, for social housing along with facilities for a number of voluntary, social care and sporting organisations; if favourable consideration will be given to the request, especially in view of the support for the plan expressed by Killarney Town Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14604/07]
75 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the contribution his Department has made to increase the use of the Irish language countrywide; the level of success achieved in regard to achieving this aim; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15009/07]
2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the social partners in Dublin Castle on 15 February 2007; the main issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8361/07]
75 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to update and amend the regulations on the standards of private rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13260/07]
82 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the reports of a slow down in residential construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13259/07]
171 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children if she has signed the statutory instrument to establish the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board; when she will sign the instrument in question; the remit of the new board; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13339/07]
81 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received a response from the Garda Commissioner to the copy sent to him of the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Dean Lyons case; if disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the Gardaí involved in the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12928/07]
73 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a decision has been made on the request of Circuit Court Judge, Brian Curtin, for early retirement on health grounds under Section 6 of the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12925/07]
1 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if the Government is planning to seek the removal of tobacco from the range of items used to measure inflation; the basis on which this is being done; if consultation has been held with the Central Statistics Office on the matter; if discussions have been held with the social partners on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1005/07]