292 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport if funds will be made available for the development of an appropriate air strip in the ownership of Kilkenny Airport Limited, County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36541/05]
120 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the 7% reduction in his Department’s funding announced in the Estimates 2006 will allow for the vital work of his Department in this area to be maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36618/05]
86 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether the 5% increase in local authority and social housing programmes announced in the Estimates 2006 will be enough to make up for the delay and lack of delivery of the Government’s commitments in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36617/05]
62 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport the progress made on the development of a new train depot in Portlaoise; the cost of this project; if a successful tenderer has been chosen; the completion date for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36024/05]
19 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport the progress made to date in 2005 by his Department on the introduction of private operators into the rail freight sector here; his views on the entry of such operators; if he is in talks with such operators; if he is optimistic that private sector involvement in rail freight will happen in the future; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36035/05]
497 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of speed cameras presently operable under the road safety strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35502/05]
330 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when speech therapy will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35703/05]
111 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends abandoning the primary care strategy unless funding will be received from the private sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35390/05]
168 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on the 1,000 bed plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35389/05]
167 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his intentions for the distribution of the television licence reserve fund; the full extent of this fund to date in 2005; if he expects to bring in the necessary legislation to deal with this issue in early course; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34480/05]
117 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has had any discussions with his European colleagues with a view to more emphasis on the development and production of alternative energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34479/05]
180 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans for the modulation fund under the single farm payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33779/05]
184 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions she has had with the EU Commission on the WTO talks; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33780/05]
93 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the political and security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33269/05]
58 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the political situation in Ethiopia; if the Government has contacted the Ethiopian Government with regard to the shooting dead of protestors by riot police in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33298/05]
353 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made regarding an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33456/05]
126 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Finance if he has carried out any assessment of the impact of the maturing of special savings investment accounts on the economy, almost half of which will occur in 2006; the way in which this is being factored into tax estimates for 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33146/05]
131 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the release of information regarding the way in which schools operate; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[32694/05]
122 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science if additional institutions will be added to the schedule of the Residential Institutions Redress Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[32798/05]
57 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding the investigation into the death of Private Kevin Barrett; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31900/05]
465 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a citizenship application will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31860/05]
244 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when an operation will be carried out for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny at Waterford Regional Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31649/05]
103 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason for the delay in bringing forward legislation to establish the national consumer agency; the timescale for the appointment of a new chairman of the Competition Authority; the timescale for the appointment of a new Director of Consumer Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31862/05]
100 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the initiatives he intends to take to improve employment standards as requested by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in the context of the renewal of social partnership; the progress or otherwise that is being made in the dispute between Irish Ferries and SIPTU; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31861/05]
33 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date in 2005 on the eradication of consistent poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30852/05]
17 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will introduce a second tier support payment for children in unemployed or low-wage households; if so, the progress which has been made to date in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30853/05]
627 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent of the roll-out of the Lifesteps programme; the number of public libraries in which it is available; the number in which it will eventually be available; the timescale for this roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30353/05]
475 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made regarding an application for residence for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
[30190/05]
449 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment will be made in respect of scrapie depopulated flocks in the 2001 to 2003 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[30185/05]
375 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the professional backgrounds of the members of the Competition Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30290/05]
373 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the redress that exists for a person who makes a complaint to the Competition Authority in a case in which the authority decides not to investigate the complaint; if an administrative appeal exists against the authority’s decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30288/05]
374 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of investigations which have been carried out in respect of complaints received by the Competition Authority for breaches of the Competition Acts for each of the years from 1996 to date; the average length of time between the receipt of the complaint by the authority and the conclusion of its investigation or the determination of legal proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30289/05]
372 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of complaints the Competition Authority has received for alleged breaches of the Competition Acts for each year since 1996; the number of complaints that have gone on to be investigated by the authority; the number of complaints that have resulted in the initiation of legal proceedings by the authority in respect of alleged breaches or the conclusion of agreements between the authority and parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30287/05]
371 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of civil or criminal cases taken by the Competition Authority since 1996 under section 5 of the Competition Acts for an alleged breach of a dominant position; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30286/05]
370 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of civil or criminal cases that the Competition Authority has initiated under section 4 of the Competition Acts since 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30285/05]
369 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of civil cases initiated by the Competition Authority in the High Court since 1996 concerning breaches of the Competition Acts 1991 and 2002; the number of such proceedings that were withdrawn, settled or otherwise compromised; the number of such proceedings that went to a full hearing before the High Court; the number of proceedings that have yet to be heard by the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30284/05]
368 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of prosecutions initiated by the Competition Authority for breaches of the Competition Act 1991 and 2002 for each year since 1996; the number of convictions secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30283/05]
109 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason for the delay in implementation of the new improved energy efficiency standard for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30017/05]
103 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the new role for the National Building Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30015/05]
106 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport the progress made in establishing an independent authority to procure public transport; the nature and functions of this authority; when the enabling legislation for such an authority will be published; when the authority will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28832/05]
85 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport if the recruitment process under way for new driver testers will fill all vacancies in the driver testing service; if he will increase the number of driver testers once these vacancies are filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28820/05]
789 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the existence of a nuclear safety section in his Department; the terms of reference; the number of staff and the grade in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28691/05]
646 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of visas issued to persons of Nigerian extraction in the past two years; the purpose for which those applications were successfully made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28692/05]
99 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans for improving community services for the elderly; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28917/05]
97 Mr. Hogan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of the 30,000 medical cards which she announced in November 2004 for 2005 which will have been delivered by 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28918/05]
173 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science when finance will be allocated for the extension of a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the fact that the school is designated disadvantaged by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[28559/05]
93 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether it is not intended to close any post offices or sub-post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28078/05]
92 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that he has taken all the necessary steps to ensure cost effective and efficient mobile telephone services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28064/05]
266 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of exemptions from PRSI issued in respect of 2005 to date; the companies and the number of exemptions in respect of each company; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27375/05]
74 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science the average incidence of dyslexia among primary school-going children; the number receiving assistance at primary level for dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[27540/05]