21 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the recent ESRI study showing that Irish women earn 20 per cent less than men and particularly the views of the authors that equal pay legislation on its own was unlikely to bridge the gap and that what was needed was a shift towards providing child care services to encourage more women to work; his response to the report; the action, if any, he intends to take based on the report's findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to strong criticism from industry of his announcement made on 14 June 1994, that Government funding for research and development is to be cut by £7 million in the coming year; if, in view of the importance of research and development for industrial development and the fact that Irish spending in this area is well below the norm in other countries, he will reconsider the reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the functions of his Department in regard to applications for naturalisation under the business migration scheme; the conditions for investment as part of this scheme; if a shareholding must be taken; if a loan is acceptable; if there is a minimum time period for the investment; the procedures that are in place in his Department to ensure that any such conditions are met; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
17 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht when the promised Green Paper on broadcasting policy will be produced; the general areas it will cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
8 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the progress that has been made with regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Partnership Government 1993-1997, to improve the living accommodation for members of the Defence Forces and their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
6 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the changes, if any, he proposes to make to the guidelines issued to Ministers and Ministers of State on taking office regarding their involvement in firms or business concerns in which they or their families have a financial involvement in view of the controversy surrounding the business migration scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
4 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance if it is the Government's policy that Ireland should continue to be treated as one region for purposes of EU Structural Funding; if his attention has been drawn to reports from Brussels that Dublin may be ringfenced from the rest of the country for the purposes of such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance the commercial interests he has met to discuss a possible purchase of the Trustee Savings Bank; the outcome of any such discussions; if the Government remains committed to the concept of a third banking force from within the State sector, as promised in the Programme for a Partnership Government, 1994 to 1997; the role he envisages for the Trustee Savings Bank in such a third banking force; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
15 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the submission made by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge on the status of the Irish language in the European Union; his response to the submission; the steps, if any, he intends to take to have Irish recognised as an official language of the Community; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform his response to the submission made by representatives of the National Newspapers of Ireland on 3 May 1994, regarding reform of the laws on defamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform his response to the submission made by representatives of the National Newspapers of Ireland on 3 May 1994, regarding reform of the laws on defamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
7 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the United States with particular regard to any discussions he had regarding investment or job creation in Ireland.
9 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if the Government has tabled a recommendation regarding nuclear reprocessing for discussion at the regular Paris Commission meeting in June; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade, in regard to the decision of the Government in October 1993 to provide export credit insurance for exports to Iran, the number of applications for cover received so far; the total value of the contracts in respect of which cover has been sought; the number of applications which have been approved; the value of the contracts in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the asked the Taoiseach, in view of the Government's decision to establish a Western Development Partnership Board, the plans, if any, he has to establish a similar board for the Dublin region, having regard to the level of unemployment, the decline in industrial employment and general poverty levels in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
1 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the terms of reference of the appointment of a person (details supplied) who is from New Zealand to advise in regard to changes in the Defence Forces; the basis on which the appointment was made; the total fees, expenses or other remuneration which will be paid to this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
57 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Marine the estimated number of days lost to the Irish fishing fleet because of poor weather during the past six months; if he has any information on the level of catches recorded over the last six months; the way in which this compares with the the same period in 1993; if he will give details of the proposed aid package for the fishing fleet in view of the losses incurred by vessels as a result of weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
57 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Marine the estimated number of days lost to the Irish fishing fleet because of poor weather during the past six months; if he has any information on the level of catches recorded over the last six months; the way in which this compares with the the same period in 1993; if he will give details of the proposed aid package for the fishing fleet in view of the losses incurred by vessels as a result of weather conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
16 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment in regard to comments made at the Irish Management Institute conference, if he will give details of the Government's proposals for a merged residential property tax/service charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
1 Mr. Rabbittee asked the asked the Taoiseach, in view of the commitment he gave in the introduction to the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, 1994-1999, the steps, if any he has taken or plans to take to ensure that the impact of the programme on equality is monitored on a continuing basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has for an overall review of schemes for the long term unemployed in view of the findings of a report prepared for the National Economic and Social Forum which showed that two-thirds of participants failed to secure employment at the end of their term of such schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the asked the Taoiseach, in regard to the revised Estimates for 1994, the reasons for the 96 per cent increase in the allocation for information and public relations services for his Department; the purposes for which this money will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
17 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Welfare his response to the National Youth Federation study, Teen Parenting in Ireland, presented to him on 5 March 1994; if he intends to implement any of the recommendations made in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance the number of PAYE taxpayers and self-employed with incomes in excess of £25,000 for the latest year for which figures are available; if his attention has been drawn to the speech made by an Assistant Secretary of the Revenue Commissioners to the Foundation for Fiscal Studies on 5 November 1993 in which he stated that certain persons earning up to £150,000 per year can use a range of reliefs and incentives to avoid paying any tax whatsoever; his views on whether this is equitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
3 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach in regard to the revised Estimates for 1994, the reasons for the 255 per cent increase over 1993 in the allocation for consultancy services for his Department; the purposes for which this money will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
62 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Marine the position he intends to adopt at the forthcoming meeting of EU fisheries ministers which will consider a proposal to lift existing restrictions on access by Spain and Portugal to Irish waters after 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
62 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Marine the position he intends to adopt at the forthcoming meeting of EU fisheries ministers which will consider a proposal to lift existing restrictions on access by Spain and Portugal to Irish waters after 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
11 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the circumstances in which members of the Defence Forces may be used for civilian events; if the Defence Forces receive a fee where personnel are used for such purposes as stewarding at such events; if, in these cases, any additional payment is made to the personnel involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
13 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications in regard to his announcement of 11 March 1994 the terms of reference of the proposed review of costs at the ESB, by whom the review will be undertaken; when it is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
35 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform his response to the interim progress report of the task force on the travelling community; if the recommendations will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
35 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform his response to the interim progress report of the task force on the travelling community; if the recommendations will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
14 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment his response to the recent submission made by Focus Point calling for a national 24-hour emergency service to deal with the growing number of homeless people, for a White Paper on housing and for greater co-ordination between the statutory agencies responsible for homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
42 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the matters discussed at his meeting in Brussels on 2 March 1994, with EU Regional Affairs Commissioner, Mr. Bruce Millan; in view of the meeting, whether areas of the National Development Plan, 1994-1999 under the auspices of his Department will have to be cut back; if he discussed the earlier views expressed by the Director General for regional policies, Mr. Eniko Landaburu on aspects of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
42 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the matters discussed at his meeting in Brussels on 2 March 1994, with EU Regional Affairs Commissioner, Mr. Bruce Millan; in view of the meeting, whether areas of the National Development Plan, 1994-1999 under the auspices of his Department will have to be cut back; if he discussed the earlier views expressed by the Director General for regional policies, Mr. Eniko Landaburu on aspects of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
1 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the guidelines issued to Ministers and Ministers of State on taking office regarding their involvement in firms or business concerns in which they or their family have a financial involvement; the procedures, if any, that are in place for monitoring the operation of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance whether the Revenue Commissioners are pursuing the matter of outstanding taxes due to the Exchequer from a group of companies (details supplied); if so, the year or years for which taxes are outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
36 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, the Government has taken to pursue the objectives in regard to reform of the United Nations which he set out in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September 1993; the further proposals, if any, he has for reform of the UN; his view on the role of various informal bodies which are to report on the future of the UN, such as that sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Yale University; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, in regard to the rescue plan for Aer Lingus approved by him, the plans, if any, he has to proceed with the Aer Lingus express service on the Dublin/London route; when the service will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
7 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he has received applications for a mining licence in regard to ore deposits at Lisheen, County Tipperary, or Galmoy, County Kilkenny; the information available to his Department regarding the extent of the ore reserves in these areas; his policy in regard to any mining lease which may be issued for either; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
11 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade his Department's assessment of the likely impact on Irish trade of the GATT agreement which concluded in December 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
25 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the number of aircraft currently in the possession of the Air Corps; the number currently in service; the number of Fouga jets currently in service; the implications for pilot training of the grounding of a number of aircraft; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
16 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications received for membership of the Defence Forces as a result of the recent recruitment campaign; when the applications will be processed; when the personnel will be recruited; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
42 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, in view of the figures produced in January 1994 by his Department showing that Ireland's output of hazardous waste has almost doubled in seven years, the proposals, if any, he has to deal with this problem; if he will clarify his reported remarks that his support for an incinerator was personal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, in view of the proposed community employment programme, the number of additional positions that will be created over and above those already on social employment schemes, community enterprise development programmes and Teamwork schemes; the training element of the proposed schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the results of the meeting between a Minister of State at his Department and Allied Irish Bank regarding the increase by AIB in a range of bank charges; if the agreement of AIB to withdraw the charges was secured; if not, the other steps, if any, he intends to take in connection with the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
39 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice if a major review of the Garda response to the drugs problem in Dublin is under way; if so, the nature of the review; the extra measures, if any, that are planned to deal with the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
18 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the structures for supervising the disbursement of national lottery funds; if he has satisfied himself that these are adequate, especially in view of allegations that some groups had received lottery money without having made formal application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
18 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the structures for supervising the disbursement of national lottery funds; if he has satisfied himself that these are adequate, especially in view of allegations that some groups had received lottery money without having made formal application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
39 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in regard to his recent meeting in Dublin with representatives of the World Cup organising committee, the progress, if any, made towards securing a reasonable supply of tickets at affordable prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.