99 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his assessment of the implications for sport here of the decision of the International Equestrian Federation to strip Ireland’s Cian O’Connor of the gold medal he had been awarded at the Athens Olympics; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15014/05]
78 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if, in regard to his statement issued on 24 April 2005 in which he expressed concern at the controversy regarding the outcome of a race at Cork racecourse and the possibility that such incidents may hinder the positive promotion of Irish horseracing at home and abroad, he intends to take any further action; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15013/05]
112 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the delay in rolling out a national cervical cancer screening programme which was promised to commence in 2005; the cost of introducing the programme; and when it will commence.
[14608/05]
83 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount paid to date to the Exchequer in respect of the sale of the Whitegate oil refinery and the Bantry storage terminal; the amount of the balance which remains outstanding; when he expects that this will be paid; if he has satisfied himself at the rate of payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14407/05]
43 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he expects to receive the results of the review he has commissioned of safety issues arising from the plans by a company (details supplied) for the Corrib gas pipeline in north Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14406/05]
118 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she is satisfied that adequate procedures are in place to protect against the spread of avian flu to this country especially in view of the recent warning from the food and agriculture organisation that the virus causing bird flu may be impossible to eradicate; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[14181/05]
100 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will make a statement on the outcome of her recent meeting with the US Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Mike Johanns.
[14180/05]
123 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to issue directives or guidelines to the financial institutions or credit unions to ensure that approximately 1.1 million SSIA holders complete and return the SSIA4 form at maturing date; the considerations which are being made for older persons who are living alone, the sick or persons who have moved into a nursing home or institution to ensure that they will not lose out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13830/05]
32 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent appointment of a person (details supplied) as president of the World Bank; if he or his officials have made contact with the new president; the international foreign policy implications of this appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13592/05]
12 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent and ongoing crisis in Ecuador; the steps which Ireland and its partners in the European Union are taking to help the Ecuadoran people to resolve the present difficulties, particularly in the capital city, Quito; his estimation of the provisions being made to reinstall democratic governance in that country; if he has satisfied himself that such measures will be left to theEcuadoran people without interference from abroad; his views on the security of the recently ousted President Gutiérrez; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13688/05]
61 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the number of special savings investment scheme accounts opened at the latest date for which figures are available; the average amount of savings per investor per month; if, on the basis of such figures, his Department will now give a definite figure for likely cost to the Exchequer of the specials savings investment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13364/05]
58 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance when it is intended to appoint a new chairperson to the decentralisation advisory committee, following the recent resignation of Mr. Phil Flynn; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13363/05]
396 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that St. Michael’s House and Fingal County Council have been informed by her Department that a site is not required in Skerries, County Dublin to provide for a much needed replacement national school for St. Michael’s House special national school, Skerries; if her attention has further been drawn to the school’s 21 year history in Skerries and its involvement in the local community, the residential location of the pupils and the preference of the parents and friends of this school to have the new school located in Skerries; and if, in view of this, she will reconsider this case with a view to reversing her Department’s decision.
[12750/05]
88 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps she intends to take to address the continuing low levels of attendance at third level institutions by young persons from areas of socioeconomic disadvantage, identified in recent figures published by the CAO; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13024/05]
95 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps she intends to take arising from the decision of the Government to endorse the recent OECD report on third level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13025/05]
316 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the need for an additional teacher for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if, in view of the unacceptable class sizes at the school, she will approve the appointment of an extra teacher.
[12422/05]
257 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport if, in respect of any proposals to extend a metro or the Luas to Dublin Airport, the plans will incorporate an extension to Swords, County Dublin.
[12458/05]
172 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost of nursing care in St. Joseph’s centre, St. John of God’s Nursing Home, Crinken Lane, Shankill, which provides specific care for people with Alzheimer’s, has increased by nearly 30% within the past year; if he accepts that this increase is putting nursing home care out of the reach of individuals and families alike; and the additional support available for people in this situation.
[12425/05]
127 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the costs incurred by the State, at the latest date for which figures are available, arising from the various inquiries instigated by or on behalf of his Department; the element of these costs which have been recovered from any of the other parties involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12107/05]
99 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position in regard to each of the inquiries being carried out by or on behalf of his Department; if he will give a projected date for the conclusion of each such investigation; the inquiries in respect of which reports have been referred to the DPP; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12106/05]
445 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if a special education needs organiser has been appointed to the Clondalkin and Lucan area for processing resource applications for children with disabilities who have special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[11989/05]
212 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the unacceptable delay in the payment of arrears of an acting-up allowance to certain nurses within the psychiatric service of the Health Service Executive northern area which was granted to them as far back as May 2001; and if she will resolve a problem that seems to exist between her Department and the health board regarding the sanction of and mechanism for payment of the arrears.
[11943/05]
84 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent OECD report, Society at a Glance, which shows that Irish people retire later than those of almost any other nationality, and that the elderly here are the most likely to be living in poverty and least likely to be receiving formal care, whether in their own homes or in nursing homes; his views on the findings of the report; the steps he intends to take arising from it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11854/05]
33 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, in relation to his Dáil reply of 22 February 2005, he will elaborate on a comment of his (details supplied); the evidence he has to back up these claims; if he has statistics to confirm these conclusions; the basis on which he made this comment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11396/05]
158 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the need to repair and refurbish the Estuary Centre, Lissenhall, Swords, County Dublin and her proposals to improve the working conditions of the trainees and staff at the centre.
[11291/05]
113 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason for the long delay in introducing 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.
[11083/05]
101 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made to date with regard to implementation of the national spatial strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11084/05]
949 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the alarming situation that has developed in Skerries, County Dublin whereby parents are unable to secure places for their children in primary schools in Skerries, Balbriggan or Lusk; the action she intends to take to resolve this issue.
[10952/05]
932 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are pupils attending a school (details supplied) in County Dublin who have had psychological assessments recommending learning support and that the board of management is unable to meet their needs due to the fact that there is no learning support teachers in the school; and if she will recommend the appointment of such a teacher for the school as a matter of urgency.
[10721/05]
357 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance the number of SSIA’s due to mature at the end of each month from 31 May 2006 to 30 April 2007.
[10368/05]
92 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date towards implementing the recommendations of the report of the NESF, published in 2002, on the reintegration of prisoners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10786/05]
84 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has plans to review the practice of providing members of the Garda Síochána as full-time drivers for Government Ministers, former Ministers and judicial figures in view of the significant commitment of Garda personnel required; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10785/05]
42 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport the status of the study on public safety zones which was commissioned by his Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; the implications of this study for a second runway at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9674/05]
18 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport his policy in respect of airport capacity on the east coast; the consideration which he has given to a second airport on the southside of Dublin or its hinterland; if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns of residents in the Portmarnock area due to the implications for them of the proposed second runway at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9673/05]
117 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her proposals to increase the number of public long stay beds; the projected timetable for implementation of the proposals; if the necessary finance to fund these proposals has been approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9430/05]
81 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of long stay public beds available throughout the country on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[9429/05]
119 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if she has considered the recent survey carried out by the Irish Primary Principals Network which found that many principals are extremely overloaded and overworked; if she will address the administrative burden under which principals are currently operating; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7981/05]
81 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science her views on the findings of a recent EU survey by Eurydice, which found that Ireland is behind the rest of the EU in the teaching of foreign languages in schools in that 95.5% of primary school children here learn no foreign language; the way in which she proposes to address the issues raised in the survey; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7982/05]
393 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in September 2004 her Department directed the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to utilise the all-purpose room as a class room; if, in view of this, an additional prefab will be made available to the school for September 2005 to enable the all purpose room to revert to its previous use.
[7546/05]
159 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the international treaty governing nuclear threat and proliferation did not envisage a reduction in nuclear weapons by the existing nuclear powers; his further views on whether the construction of such treaties in the narrower sense of dealing only with new countries seeking nuclear capacity is a serious distortion of such a treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7735/05]
136 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on such undertakings as the United Nations has made recently in relation to bonded labour in general, and child slavery in particular; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7736/05]
183 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in view of the unacceptable increase in anti-social behaviour in Donabate, County Dublin, a Garda station will be provided and additional Garda resources arranged in the interim to be specifically dedicated to the Donabate peninsula.
[7469/05]
68 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if an assessment has been done of the likely implications of the recent decision of the European Court of Justice which found against the Revenue Commissioners’ interpretation of VAT rules on canteen food sales; the anticipated loss to the Exchequer as a result of the ruling; the amount that it is likely that will have to be repaid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7201/05]
64 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the recently published guidelines for the appraisal and management of public capital programmes and projects.
[7202/05]
214 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that families moving into Balbriggan, County Dublin are unable to secure places for their children who may already be in school from their previous address or who are due to commence school in September 2005; and if, in this regard, she will report on the position of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[7228/05]
213 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that families moving into Balbriggan, County Dublin are unable to secure places for their children who may already be in school from their previous address or who are due to commence school in September 2005; and if, in this regard, she will report on the position of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
[7227/05]
114 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions she has had with other Departments and State agencies with a view to meeting the EU Biofuels Directive requiring Ireland to replace 2% of petrol and diesel with renewable fuels by the end of 2005.
[6973/05]
107 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions she has had with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment arising from the proposed closure of the Carlow sugar factory; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[6972/05]
103 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Defence if, further to his reply of 26 January 2005, the second of two military police investigations into suggestions of near mutinous behaviour on a Naval Service vessel has been concluded; the action which has been taken in view of this investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6706/05]
71 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the claim made by a trade union leader (details supplied) that safety on the nation’s building sites was deteriorating rather than improving; the number of persons killed and injured in accidents on building sites during 2004; the steps being taken to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6167/05]