223 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has reviewed the compliance by State bodies that come under its remit with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies; the State bodies that have not achieved full compliance; the reason for same: the action taken by her Department; the results of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26037/10]
222 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the boards of State agencies under the aegis of her Department which are required to implement the new Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies have formally adapted the code at a board meeting; if they have undertaken training to ensure proper implementation of the code; the monitoring procedures they have put in place to ensure proper compliance with the code; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26036/10]
221 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the State agencies under the aegis of her Department to which the 2009 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies applies; if all these agencies have submitted assurances and reports confirming compliance with the code in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26035/10]
220 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places that will be made available and funded by her Department under the programme of part-time undergraduate places for jobless workers in the academic year 2010/2011 commencing in September 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26034/10]
219 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places that will be made available and funded by her Department under the programme of part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers in the academic year 2010/2011 commencing in September 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26033/10]
218 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have commenced study to date under the programme of part-time undergraduate places for jobless workers which commenced in September 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26032/10]
217 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who commenced study to date under the programme of part-time postgraduate third-level places for unemployed workers which commenced in September 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26031/10]
96 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the maximum penalties available in summary proceedings or following trial on indictment in respect of smuggling of cigarettes and other tobacco products; when these penalties were last increased; if he is satisfied with the range of penalties; if he is satisfied that appropriate cases are being brought on indictment; if he is satisfied himself with the penalties imposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26054/10]
28 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Finance his views on recent developments in the eurozone; when he expects to bring forward legislation to allow for Irish participation in the €750 billion stabilisation fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25622/10]
11 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Finance if he will make provision for a substantial debate on the economy before the Dáil summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25623/10]
84 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the number of the EU directives for which his Department has responsibility that remain to be implemented; if he will list the directives that are now overdue; if he will give the number of reasoned opinions received from the EU Commission since 2002 regarding delays or the non-implementation of such directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24354/10]
481 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if a person with a teaching qualification from a university (details supplied) is unable to register with the Teaching Council here; the reason graduates of this university are unable to register as teachers; and her plans to resolve this difficulty.
[25071/10]
367 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when the commission on school accommodation was established; the names of the members of the commission; the commission’s terms of reference; the number of times it has met; the location at which it meets; if the commission has issued an interim report; when the final report will be delivered and published; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[24688/10]
157 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the process that the decisions taken by visa officers are vetted or overseen; if there is any handbook or manual that outlines the proper procedures that a visa officer should follow in order to ensure that visas are being processed correctly; the reason Ireland is the only country in Europe that does not publish comprehensive statistics concerning visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24169/10]
156 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the refusal rates for student visa applications and tourist visa applications for the past four years from persons applying through the Irish Embassy in Beijing, China; the approval rates for students applying to an Irish college (details supplied) through the Beijing Embassy for the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24168/10]
155 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of international students that are registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service in tabular format; the percentage of these students that attend English language colleges, further education colleges and higher education colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24167/10]
39 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the amount that will be contributed by civil and public servants to public funds both through deduction in pay by way of pension contribution under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009 for the year 2010 and also by way of PRSI and, where relevant, other pension contribution schemes; the amount expected to be paid out by way of pension to retired civil and public servants in relation to the same category of former employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24361/10]
172 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the decision to remove four special needs assistants posts at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 2; if she will consider the importance of these posts to the well-being of children; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23908/10]
2 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if, in view of the fact that all five undergraduate primary teacher training colleges are owned and managed by the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland and that such colleges are extensively funded by the Irish taxpayer and bearing in mind the provisions of Article 44 of the Constitution, she considers the compulsory requirement on students in these colleges to partake in religious studies, including faith formation for primary pupils as acceptable due the fact it denies the right of students to choose not to participate in such courses on the basis of their conscience; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23887/10]
102 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if there is any appeals process in place for students who fail to be called to the interview stage of a programme run by the nursing careers centre; the way a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 can avail of this appeals process.
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76 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Defence the action he will take regarding the recommendation of the internal working group in the Irish Red Cross Society; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23361/10]
66 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding the resumption of the United Nations military element of the mission to Chad being resumed.
[23360/10]
520 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the level of financial support given, by the State, either directly or indirectly, to each of the teacher training colleges here over the past five years in tabular format; the ethos of each of these respective training colleges; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[23308/10]
504 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 382 of 11 May 2010, if she will provide the information as requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22991/10]
503 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 411 of 27 April 2010, the ten locations identified by her Department for a possible transfer of patronage; if she will forward the requested information as promised; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22990/10]
488 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans to raise the cost of the school transport scheme to €500; if she will rule out this fare increase in the next budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22797/10]
185 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will take all necessary measures to ensure that four students (details supplied) at a primary school in Dublin 3, who are due to begin secondary school in September 2010, will still be able to receive the valuable speech and language and occupational therapy they currently receive at their primary school after the initial six-month transfer period; if they will still be able to receive the psychological services they receive at their primary school after the initial six-month transfer period; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22733/10]
45 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the development of 4G here is dependant on the digital dividend which would arise through the successful roll out of digital terrestrial television; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23028/10]
232 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will ask the Higher Education Authority to investigate if a course (details supplied) in UCC meets the requirements of a level seven qualification by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that graduates of this course are not accepted for level eight qualifications in this field in other higher education institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22448/10]
42 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the report he commissioned in March 2010 on the Poolbeg incinerator; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22235/10]
34 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the interdepartmental task force into the disposal of electronic voting equipment has indicated a date for completion of its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22245/10]
80 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of farmers that applied for the agri-environment options scheme in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21988/10]
45 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the agri-environment options scheme plans will commence; the amount of money that will be awarded in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21989/10]
451 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm when the current guidelines on countering bullying behaviour were published; the number of times that these guidelines have been revised; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21879/10]
450 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been brought to recent cases of bullying in second level schools, both here and abroad, with tragic results; if she is satisfied that second level schools have published and made available policies to counteract bullying; if discovered cases should, in her opinion, be reported to the National Education Welfare Board and the Garda; if the parents of victims have a right to receive a written response and report from the principal and or board of management; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21878/10]
425 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the grants available which could provide funding for the provision of sports infrastructure in schools; where a school can apply for this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[21365/10]
133 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the number of employers who have availed of the bike to work scheme on a county basis; the number of employees who have benefitted from the scheme; the cost of the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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108 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the campaign being run by the Migrant Rights Centre to reform the employment permit system to enable migrant workers to change jobs more easily; if he will alter the employment permits to give full effect to section 8(3) of the Employment Permits Act 2006, which allows workers to change employment within a particular sector; if he intends to support this campaign and act on these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21916/10]
93 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the requirement for all EU member states to adopt a national action plan setting out specific objectives and actions to develop an attractive researcher career and increased researcher mobility, in accordance with the communication issued in 2008 by the European Commission, Better Careers and More Mobility: A European Partnership for Researchers; the progress that has been made in adopting such a national action plan; the result of the consultation process undertaken by his Department in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
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37 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans in regard to amending the qualifying criteria for reducing the rate applicable to the State contributory pension; and the way he plans to make savings.
[21597/10]
62 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he favours a new framework programme which would ensure that all EU countries respected Cuba’s sovereignty; and whether such a programme would replace the present common position.
[20935/10]
235 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, in their capacity as patrons of schools, manage the Irish education system while simultaneously acting as officials of another sovereign state, namely the Vatican; her views on this state of affairs; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20776/10]
233 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will, on behalf of all primary and secondary schools in the State, negotiate a competitive pricing arrangement with electricity and gas suppliers in order that schools can avail of cheaper bills for their energy needs; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that several other sectors in the public service have adopted this tactic with success; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20769/10]
64 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the estimated cost of the refurbishment of the National Concert Hall; the amount expended to date; if she will give a commitment that the project still has her support and that the requisite level of funding will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20697/10]
545 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the number of concessionary hours awarded to a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to ensure that it will have enough hours to provide physical education, art and French classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20543/10]
519 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have applied for funding for water conservation measures under her Department’s summer works scheme; the number of these schools that will receive funding for water conservation measures; the number that were rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20075/10]
518 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason 19 fee-paying schools will receive €1 million from her Department’s summer works scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that these schools have substantial private income which is paid for better facilities; if she will restore a level of equity and fairness into the education system by restricting fee-paying schools access to the summer works scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20074/10]
357 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in view of the remarks made by a person (details supplied), he will consider the creation of commissions of inquiry into each Roman Catholic diocese around the country following the revelations of the Ryan and Murphy reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20449/10]
108 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children when it is intended to transfer the community welfare service from her Department to the Department of Social Protection; the elements of the scheme that will remain with the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[20207/10]