895 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the assessment, if any, which he has undertaken on the withdrawal of patent relief in the tax code; its costs and benefits for industrial and employment policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1422/11]
891 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if he is making a submission to the review of retail planning guidelines being instituted by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; if so the proposals he is making for consideration in that review; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[48565/10]
888 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the total cost of the December 2009 report entitled Measuring the Administrative Burden on Irish Business prepared by EPS Consulting for his Department; the fees paid to consultants to date in relation to the process of measuring the administrative burden imposed by 15 Departments, the Revenue and the Central Statistics Office overseen by him; if the proposal to engage consultants to complete this process of measurement across Government has yet been put to Cabinet; if this proposal has been adopted; the estimated cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[48248/10]
883 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if he has assessed the need for an export credit insurance scheme as a policy instrument for promoting trade; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1423/11]
800 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will explain the increase in the tenancy registration fee by the Private Residential Tenancies Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1804/11]
433 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the future of the ambulance service in Dublin city and county; her views on the fact that the number of ambulances operated by Dublin City Council through the Dublin Fire Brigade is being reduced; if she believes there is an adequate number of ambulances servicing the needs of the people of Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[1354/11]
299 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the cost of retaining patent relief as a more targeted tax concession, perhaps by capping the benefit or in other ways; and if he will indicate whether a cost-benefit analysis of the charge has been undertaken.
[1421/11]
130 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance his plans to tackle increases in insurance costs; the person or agency that has responsibility for their implementation; the timeframe for their implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45388/10]
271 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the intended reduction in funding for the community service programme in 2011; the areas which will be affected by the cut; his views on whether such a reduction in funding will correspond with a diminution in the quality of the service which is provided; if changes to the minimum wage will have an impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[47822/10]
236 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the overall reduction in the budget for the rural transport scheme for 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[47821/10]
210 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if she plans to commission a report into abuse in foster homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[47816/10]
45 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Ryan report did not substantially address those abused when placed by the State in foster care; if he plans to commission a report into abuse in foster homes; if he will extend the State compensation scheme to give redress to those who have been abused in foster homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[47815/10]
113 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if changes in respect of civil unions affecting taxation matters have been included in the budget and the forthcoming finance Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[47530/10]
118 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the tax advantages that previously applied just to married couples now applies to couples who have entered into a civil union; if similar provisions apply to persons who have been cohabiting, but who have not yet formalised their relationship in a civil union; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[47086/10]
103 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if a request for an investigation has been made by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[47310/10]
89 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if part-time teachers who have not been given permanent contracts have access to a pension scheme; if she has made arrangements for such persons to contribute to a personal retirement savings account; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[47087/10]
36 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on recently published Central Statistics Office figures on poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[46069/10]
48 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the way her Department recoups its share of the family home under the fair deal scheme; in the event of delays in achieving a sale, if interest accrues on the outstanding amount and if so at what interest rate.
[46834/10]
14 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the upward revaluation of hotels which bears no relationship to earning capacity and if the exceptional circumstances review clause which existed prior to 2001 should be restored for rateable valuation to provide temporary relief
[46677/10]
291 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will implement an easy pay system for persons participating in the greener homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[46188/10]
78 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the plan to gradually reduce the pension relief from 41% to 20% will have the perverse effect of reducing tax earnings in the short term by encouraging persons to maximise their pension contributions in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[46506/10]
77 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance whether the pension ceiling of €150,000, soon to be reduced to €115,000, applies to public servants making additional voluntary contributions under pension schemes; if it applies to persons who are in a position to fund a pension through a limited company structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[46505/10]
5 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if those on back to education allowance are liable to pay the proposed €200 charge for post leaving certificate courses, or will they be entitled to submit a maintenance grant application form to get payment of the charge; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[45910/10]
142 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the average rent granted to persons on the rental accommodation scheme and the aggregate value of the rents collected.
[45755/10]
138 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the targets he has set to reduce homelessness; if these targets have been met in 2007, 2008, 2009, and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45697/10]
137 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of homeless persons identified in the homeless counts of 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the action he will take to reduce the incidence of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45696/10]
129 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the means test on rent payment that will apply to a person returning to full-time employment who is on rent supplement but who has been accepted for the rental accommodation scheme.
[45754/10]
128 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will detail the circumstances in which mortgage interest supplement can be granted to a family; the maximum amount that can be granted; the maximum duration during which it can be granted and the rules for withdrawal of supplement where a person returns to full-time employment.
[45751/10]
127 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons on one parent family allowance and disability allowance can retain full payment when taking up community employment.
[45749/10]
122 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend family income supplement to persons who are self-employed whose business is not generating sufficient income to support their family; the type of accounts that would be required of a self-employed person to establish the income flow coming into their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45676/10]
76 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if any change in the tax credit on bin charges up to a maximum of €400 is planned in the context of the four year budget plan.
[45756/10]
75 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the refund of DIRT tax for persons aged 65 years and over, who are not otherwise eligible to pay income tax, will continue to apply as the age tax exemption is phased out over the next four years and if so, the way it will be phased in.
[45753/10]
74 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number of employers who claimed double deduction for taking on persons who are long-term unemployed in the most recent year for which data is available; the number of employees covered; the cost in aggregate of the relief and the restrictions that apply to qualifying employment and qualifying individuals and if he will consider relaxing these conditions.
[45752/10]
73 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the present provision agreed with financial institutions to protect persons having difficulty with loan repayments; where a borrower can get assistance if they feel an institution is not applying the code of practice and if further changes are to be agreed for implementation within the code.
[45748/10]
62 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons on the integration option and on the part-time job elements of the community employment programme; the distribution of persons who have participated in these programmes by the period for which they were on the programme that is one year, two years and so on and the distribution by social welfare scheme that they were on prior to participation.
[45750/10]
1 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the planned net effect on employment of the Government’s four year national recovery plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45798/10]
145 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the award of domiciliary care allowance to a person on rent supplement results in an equal reduction in the payment of rent supplement; if he would consider that domiciliary care allowance is precisely paid by the State in order to compensate for the extra cost of maintaining a child with a disability and should not therefore be treated as means; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45560/10]
130 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if there are any special provisions in relation to additional leave days and overtime work that prevail in the Garda Síochána and the prison service above and beyond those normally provided by employment law for workers; if plans under the Croke Park agreement are under way to reform these provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[45558/10]
117 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children her plans to make changes to the home care package scheme; her further plan to issue guidelines on the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[45513/10]
105 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if he has surveyed the patterns of leave days, overtime, working work breaks and so on that prevail across the public service, in comparison to the general provisions made in employment law and if he plans any public service wide initiatives to rationalise such arrangements in the context of the Croke Park Agreement.
[45559/10]
305 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Defence the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44935/10]
299 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44934/10]
291 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008 and 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44937/10]
272 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44932/10]
244 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years.
[44933/10]
238 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44938/10]
233 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the estimated energy use of her Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[44945/10]
228 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44943/10]
211 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44940/10]
204 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the estimated energy use of his Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[44942/10]