28 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí who are suspended from the force; the length of suspension in each case; if they will receive their full salary for the duration of the suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29746/05]
26 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí who are on sick leave; the length of time each has been absent from work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29747/05]
181 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the grave situation which continues to obtain at the cystic fibrosis centre of St. Vincent’s Hospital (details supplied); if, in view of this, the long needed recommendations of Pollack and others for over nine years will be implemented in 2005 as she stated in Dáil Éireann on 21 June 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[29592/05]
116 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport the bodies he will designate to enforce air passenger rights for disabled passengers as agreed at the EU Transport Council meeting of 6 October 2005; and when he will do so.
[29064/05]
6 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the OECD Report on Regulatory Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26558/05]
502 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the serious difficulties created for actors, musicians and freelance journalists by the manner in which the Competition Authority is interpreting competition law, treating such workers as if they were commercial companies and as such not entitled to band together to seek improved fees, terms or conditions; if he will amend the law in order to remove any ambiguity and to ensure that such workers are entitled to be members of a trade union and collectively represented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29030/05]
117 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the discrepancies of treatment between older cancer patients and middle aged cancer patients; if her further attention has been drawn to the fact that the treatment rates of those aged 70-79 were half to a third of cancer patients in the 50-59 age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28811/05]
98 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps she will take following the recent revelations that it will be 2006 before an estimated 180,000 children in the State will be able to get the booster vaccinations they require to protect them from a bug which can cause a lethal form of meningitis; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28812/05]
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the current work of the interdepartmental team on infrastructure and public-private partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24376/05]
2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the projected cost of the communications unit within his Department for 2005; the number of staff employed in the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26557/05]
96 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, in view of the recent condemnation of the Irish Ferries proposals, the European Commission will resubmit without delay its proposal for an EC Directive on manning conditions for regular passenger and ferry services operating between member states — Com(1998)251 final of 29 April 1998 and amended proposal Com(2000)437 final of 13 July 2000, withdrawn by the Commission on 10 October 2004; and if support will be given to incorporating the provisions of Article 2.2 of Com(2000)437 final into EC law in view of these comments.
[27862/05]
362 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will publish the report he has received from a person (details supplied) of the examination he was asked to undertake of the Garda papers on the murder of persons in Grangegorman in March 1997.
[28199/05]
188 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to establish TG4 as an independent station; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27881/05]
2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the constitutional amendments the Government intends to bring forward within the lifetime of the 29th Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24369/05]
151 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by staff who worked in the foyer area of Hawkins House that they may have been exposed to asbestos during the removal of this substance from the building; if, in view of these concerns, she will ask the Health and Safety Authority to review the manner in which the asbestos was removed with a view to determining if any employees were put at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27518/05]
150 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by staff who worked in the foyer area of Hawkins House that they may have been exposed to asbestos during the removal of this substance from the building; if steps have been taken to determine if such workers may have been exposed to asbestos; the health or medical procedures which are available to persons who fear they may have been exposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27517/05]
149 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in regard to the removal of asbestos from Hawkins House during 2001, asbestos was detected in and removed from foyer area of the building; if staff working in the foyer area were notified of any such removal; the precautions which were taken to protect workers working in the foyer area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27516/05]
132 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the continuing significant increase in general practitioner fees; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that some general practitioners in Dublin recently increased their fees from €40 to €50; her plans to impose limits on the amounts that general practitioners may charge for consultations or home visits in view of the financial strain that these fees may put on low income families who do not have a medical card; if her Department retains any statistics on the fees charged by general practitioners; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27383/05]
101 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the categories of workers within the educational system that are vetted by the Garda for the risk of child abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27669/05]
26 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science her plans to allocate additional resources to the education welfare board to increase the number of education welfare officers throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27668/05]
198 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will amend the Coroners Act 1962 to remove the restriction on the number of medical or other witnesses a coroner may call during an inquest; if he will list the recommendations contained in the report of the coroners review group published in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27179/05]
160 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the response he has received from the US authorities to his offer of assistance to help cope with the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, in regard to his statement of 6 September 2005; if this assistance has been provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24840/05]
85 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the circumstances in which a single contractor was paid an amount of €920,220 in respect of road transport services associated with the EU Presidency and reported on by the Comptroller and Auditor General, while a further sum of €45,166 was paid to the same contractor charged to press and information; the reason normal tendering guidelines were not complied with; if he will identify the contractor; the criteria in which a contractor with expertise in road transport services was adjudged to also have expertise in press and information; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26827/05]
65 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the circumstances in which a contractor that won the bid to provide a replacement system for the issue of passports, reported on by the Comptroller and Auditor General, was a consortium headed by the firm of consultants who had been engaged to conduct the initial review for his Department and which made the recommendation for a replacement system in relation to the cost of an automated passport system; if he is satisfied that normal tendering guidelines were complied with; if he will identify the contractor; the arrangements he will make in order that commercial contracts entered into by his Department will withstand public scrutiny and are at a fully arms length basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26828/05]
161 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his assessment of the implications for the proposed EU constitution of the results of the referenda in France and Holland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19101/05]
149 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance if the Government’s decentralisation plan will be carried out on a totally voluntary basis and that staff will either be offered inducements to transfer or subject to penalties if they decide not to move; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26632/05]
144 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance the latest information available from the central applications facility in respect of applications from civil servants and other public servants currently located in Dublin who wish to transfer to new locations outside of Dublin under the Government’s decentralisation programme; the way in which this compares with the Government target of 10,300; if agreement has now been reached with all public service unions regarding promotional opportunities for those who choose to move and those who opt to remain where they are; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26631/05]
5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when the next quarterly meeting with the social partners under the auspices of the Sustaining Progress agreement will be held; the likely agenda for the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24365/05]
4 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the meeting held on 14 July 2005 with the social partners under the auspices of Sustaining Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24364/05]
210 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress made regarding the redeployment of the estimated 400 staff previously employed in administering farm income support schemes; the number of such staff redeployed to date; the locations and the sectors of her Department to which they have been redeployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26466/05]
35 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the matters discussed at his meeting on 27 September 2005 with members of the family of a person (details supplied) who was murdered in Dublin in April 2005; if he has raised the matter with representatives of Sinn Féin; the response he has received; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26763/05]
25 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to an article in a newspaper (details supplied) written by the President of Sinn Féin, Mr. Gerry Adams, in which he stated that the Taoiseach had given a commitment that MPs elected in Northern Ireland would be able to speak in Dáil Éireann; if any such commitment was given; if not, the nature of the undertaking in this matter which was given by the Taoiseach; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25007/05]
24 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the discussions he has had with representatives of Sinn Féin regarding any right of audience or attendance in the Houses of the Oireachtas by elected representatives from Northern Ireland; the undertakings he has given to Sinn Féin in regard to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25006/05]
23 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if at any meeting with representatives of the Unionist parties in Northern Ireland he has raised the issue of continued violence by loyalist paramilitary organisations and the street violence which is believed to have been orchestrated by loyalist paramilitary organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25005/05]
22 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with the US Special Envoy, Mr. Mitchell Reiss.
[24838/05]
18 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he has any contacts with representatives of the United States Administration regarding the return here of three Irish citizens sentenced for serious offences in Colombia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24452/05]
17 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he has any contacts with representatives of the British Government regarding the return here of three Irish citizens sentenced for serious offences in Colombia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24451/05]
16 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he has any contacts with representatives of the Colombian Government regarding the return here of three Irish citizens sentenced for serious offences in Colombia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24450/05]
15 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when he last met representatives of Sinn Féin; if, at this meeting, he raised the implications for political developments of the return here of three Irish citizens sentenced for serious offences in Colombia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24449/05]
14 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach his views on the likely impact on political developments in Northern Ireland of the return here of three Irish citizens sentenced for serious offences in Colombia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24448/05]
12 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent contacts with the United States Administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24378/05]
11 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach his views on the prospects for political progress in Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the statement issued by the IRA on 28 July 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24374/05]
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the Government’s views on the statement issued by the IRA on 28 July 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24373/05]
9 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meeting with a delegation from the SDLP on 29 July 2005.
[24372/05]
7 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach when he last met the British Prime Minister; when he next expects to meet him; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24370/05]
1362 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns among persons in the Clara area of County Offaly regarding the decision to close the fire station in Clara; if, in view of the population of 4,000 in the area and the serious safety implications of leaving the people of the area without a fire station, the decision will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24845/05]
1272 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider introducing a greater degree of flexibility in regard to the rules governing qualification for school transport, particularly with a view to facilitating pupils who live marginally outside the relevant catchment area and especially when there is spare capacity on the buses in question; if, in this regard, she will give consideration to the problems created for parents in the Islandeady area of County Mayo who have children attending the technical school in Castlebar; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[25689/05]
677 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, arising from the report of the Consumer Strategy Group, it is intended to implement the recommendation to introduce standardised statutory codes of practice across all public sector bodies, which the group indicated was the responsibility of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19105/05]
170 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, arising from the report of the Consumer Strategy Group, it is intended to implement the recommendation that consumer considerations should be incorporated into all regulatory analysis procedures and the consumer proofing of all relevant Government decisions, which the group indicated was specifically the responsibility of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19104/05]