30 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is satisfied that the Health and Safety Authority has sufficient staff and resources to carry out its work, in view of the continuing unacceptable number of industrial accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6168/05]
122 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to address the issue of fuel poverty, particularly among the elderly; if he has considered recent research which showed that up to 2,000 pensioners are at risk of premature death annually because of inability to heat their homes adequately; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5891/05]
86 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he intends to take to increase the number of workers in the private sector who have pensions; his response to recent data from the Irish Pensions Board which show that only a quarter of the workforce have adequate pensions savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5893/05]
48 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will elaborate on his recent announcement regarding the provision of speech and language therapy for Irish speaking children in Gaeltacht schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5804/05]
20 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the opinion of the director of the Combat Poverty Agency that the CWC has been at the forefront in supporting the development of an independent voice for persons who are excluded, in playing an essential role in the provision of information and resource guides on anti-poverty policy development and providing support to the most marginalised communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5540/05]
46 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason no provision has been made for the inclusion of an ambulance bay in the new building at a hospital (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
[5441/05]
84 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the huge difference between the number of rapes recorded in annual Garda reports on crime and the number of cases coming before the Central Criminal Court; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that between 1993 and 2003 an average of 355 cases were reported to the gardaí each year while the average number coming before the Central Criminal Court in the same period was just 93; if he has satisfied himself with the rate of prosecutions arising from reported rapes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4949/05]
65 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects that the long promised judicial conduct and ethics Bill will be published; if he has brought proposals to Government on the matter; if the heads of a Bill have been approved by Cabinet; the general approach he intends to adopt; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[4948/05]
510 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding the FCA property at Slievenamon Road, Thurles, County Tipperary; if he has agreed to sell all or part of this property and if so, if and when he intends to provide an alternative building for military personnel.
[4613/05]
345 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport his proposals for a public transport connection from Dublin city centre to the airport with a connection to Swords.
[4872/05]
344 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport his views on the proposals from Irish Rail for the construction of an interconnector tunnel linking Connolly and Spencer Dock with Heuston Station with the provision of underground stations linking existing services including Luas in the context of an integrated transport system for Dublin.
[4871/05]
157 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the factors inhibiting an increase in the number of trains accessing the Dublin city area (details supplied) per hour at peak periods; his plans to increase this capacity; if such should require the construction of a new station at the docklands; the timescale for submitting a planning application if required; the projected commencement and completion dates; and if approval has been given by the Government to Irish Rail for the funding of this phase of development.
[4712/05]
84 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she expects the social service inspectorate to be established on a statutory basis; if she intends to include the inspection of public nursing homes in its remit as well as the full range of health and safety issues relative to older persons in all nursing homes throughout the country.
[4224/05]
10 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the latest position regarding her consideration of the report of the pharmacy review group; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[4229/05]
136 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made by his Department, in co-operation with the authorities in Northern Ireland, in the investigation into illegal cross-Border dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3910/05]
167 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of complaints that have been filed to the recently established Private Residential Tenancies Board against landlords concerning anti-social behaviour by their tenants; if this new system is providing speedier resolution of such disputes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3911/05]
117 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the main implications of the new exploration licensing round off the west coast of Ireland; the extent of interest in the licensing round to date; the type of developments he envisages may result from the round; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[3598/05]
178 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, she will sanction the provision of two additional classrooms for September 2005.
[3224/05]
177 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, her attention has been drawn to the fact that the school is operating from 17 classrooms in either deteriorating temporary accommodation or a totally unsuitable 1903 building; and if, in view of the need for a new school, she will expedite the approval of same.
[3223/05]
166 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps which have been taken to acknowledge the bravery of persons (details supplied).
[3311/05]
85 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when a project (details supplied) in County Dublin will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3206/05]
39 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science her proposals for dealing with the funding difficulties in the third level education sector; if her attention has been drawn to the significant funding problems in the sector at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3005/05]
23 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of properties handed over to the State to date by the religious orders as part of the indemnity against compensation deal; if the €7 million still awaited by her Department from the religious orders has been forthcoming; if there is an estimated final cost of compensation for the victims of institutional child abuse; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[3008/05]
334 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the need for a post primary school in Donabate, County Dublin; and when the results of the pilot project for north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth will be made available to the public including the concerned parents in Donabate.
[3093/05]
151 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the failure to reach agreement with parties in the North on the restoration of the Assembly and Executive, he has given further consideration to SDLP proposals for the appointment of civic administrators as an interim measure to restore the Assembly before a power-sharing Executive can be agreed between the parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2780/05]
176 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the failure to reach agreement on the restoration of the devolved institutions in the North as outlined in the proposals by the British and Irish Governments for a comprehensive agreement, published in December 2004; the precise issues that led to the failure to agree; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2781/05]
63 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the supports, financial or otherwise, which will be made available to civil and public servants transferring to new locations outside of Dublin under the Government’s proposed decentralisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2490/05]
49 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the reason the Government intends to restrict promotional opportunities to staff willing to move to decentralised locations, especially in view of the assurances offered when the original programme was announced that staff unwilling to move would not be disadvantaged in any way; if, in view of the strong opposition from public service unions, he will withdraw this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2491/05]
74 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the reduction in the Estimates for her Department for 2005 for the food safety and animal welfare budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[1930/05]
45 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress in relation to food labelling and the recommendations of the food labelling group; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[1929/05]
502 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when funding will be provided for the upgrade of Thurles swimming pool; and when the project will proceed to tender stage.
[1568/05]
106 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Defence the progress made in exploring ways of bringing the alleged killer of two Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon 24 years ago to justice here; the details of the review of all the files relating to the case that has recently been launched; when this review will conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1510/05]
78 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made in his consideration of the recommendations contained in the annual report of the National Competitiveness Council which he launched on 14 October 2004.
[33758/04]
54 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the work to date of the consumer consultative panel; if he has received the final report of the panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33759/04]
105 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of legal actions health boards are currently processing against private nursing homes for breach of the legislation under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990; the names of the nursing homes in question; and if her attention has been drawn the response to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 2 December 2004.
[33604/04]
103 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which she proposes to provide for the needs of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33124/04]
67 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of appointments he has made to statutory boards and bodies under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2004; the names of all those appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33260/04]
24 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he intends to introduce regulations on end-of-life vehicles; the communications he has had with the EU Commission in regard to the proposed regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32682/04]
22 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views as to the reason that, in the ten years up to 2003, local authorities failed to build almost 9,000 homes for which approval had been provided by his Department; if he intends to take action to ensure that all houses for which approvals are given are actually built; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32683/04]
48 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the proposals he has to deal with the situation of the estimated 11,000 parents of Irish born children in regard to his interview for a newspaper (details supplied); when such measures will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32514/04]
14 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for asylum received during 2002, 2003 and to date in 2004; the number of applications upheld by the Refugee Appeals Commission; the number of appeals submitted to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and the number of such appeals upheld; the number of applications for leave to remain and the number of such applications granted; the number of deportation orders made and the number of such deportations carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32515/04]
441 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the application from Fingal County Council for an Exchequer grant towards the cost of installing central heating in its local authority houses; and if the application will be expedited as a matter of urgency.
[32554/04]
136 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the needs of older persons suffering with terminal dementia requiring hospice type palliative care; the cost of long-term nursing home care which can be €1,200 per week; if she will give consideration to an index-linked financial allowance to enable or assist families sourcing appropriate nursing home care or the provision of an enhanced nursing home subvention to meet the increased cost of long-term care for old persons with terminal dementia; and if she will report on the matter.
[32069/04]
105 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the delay in establishing the office of the taxi regulator; if his attention has been drawn to public concern regarding safety in taxis in the absence of any quality control; when this office will be fully staffed and fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32368/04]
63 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the reason consideration of State funding was ruled out in the mandate given to consultants with regard to a report (details supplied) on Aer Lingus; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32367/04]
151 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which she can justify a reduction of approximately 300,000 home help hours in 2003 compared with 2002, the implementation of strategies increasing client contributions, a reduction in hours provided and waiting lists throughout the country; and if she proposes to reassess the needs of older persons in this area.
[31922/04]
120 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a waiting list of up to 12 and a half years for public nursing beds in some regions of the greater Dublin area; and the way in which she proposes to deal with the problem.
[31578/04]
110 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the need for an independent inspectorate of nursing homes; if so, when she proposes to establish such a body; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31541/04]
5 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has satisfied herself that the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 is being implemented in respect of inspections of private nursing homes; if the statutory requirement of two inspections per year is being met; the problems that are being identified in respect of the inspection of nursing homes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31859/04]
101 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the controversy surrounding the positive drug tests on the horse, Waterford Crystal; if he is concerned about the implications of the case for Irish sport in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31421/04]