786 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will examine the possibility of re-opening the option for persons to pay the household charge in instalments in view of the fact that some households did not receive any information regarding the charge of the payment options before 1 March deadline had passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17681/12]
724 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a voluntary organisation (details supplied) is eligible for any funding or financial grant from his Department or from any funding organisation supported by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19533/12]
716 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail the current location of the bell and the wheel of the Asgard II which were recovered from the sunken ship and which are now in the possession of the State; if he will examine the feasibility of locating these objects in Arklow, County Wicklow where they originated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18927/12]
391 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of study of computer science and information technology Irish primary school teachers in Irish teacher training colleges receive; and if his Department has a requirement in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19103/12]
389 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has any discussions at a European level and at the European Council of Education Ministers on the issue of the teaching of computer science and information technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19101/12]
390 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has had any discussions with technology, computer or internet companies regarding the teaching of computer science and information technology here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19102/12]
388 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give consideration to having computer technology as a subject for State examinations here; his plans to bring this about; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19100/12]
387 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the data available to him regarding the number of Irish primary schools and Irish secondary schools that have received funding for computers from his Department; the number of schools here that currently do not have access to computers for their students; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19099/12]
386 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding he provides for the provision of computers in both primary and secondary schools here; the amount provided for same in 2012 and in each of the years from 2002 to 2011; if he will provide a breakdown of this funding for primary schools and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19098/12]
385 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the findings of a recent EUROSTAT study which shows that Irish persons between the ages of 16-24 years are less likely than the average European person of that age to have the skills to carry out basic computer functions such as calculating information on spreadsheets; his views on whether this highlights a need to re-examine the reason that students here are taught computer technology in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19097/12]
384 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of time in a school week that students in primary schools should be taught how to use computers and broader issues regarding information technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19096/12]
383 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the current curriculum in schools at primary level and schools at secondary level for the teaching of computer technology and information technology; when this curriculum was drawn up; when it was last revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19095/12]
356 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools currently receiving support from the National Behaviour Support Service; the number of schools that have availed of this service for each of the years since its establishment in 2006 to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18852/12]
263 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the discipline procedures available to schools to ensure a satisfactory learning environment for all students; his views on whether teachers currently receive sufficient support in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18853/12]
178 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the reason mortgage holders who purchased their homes between 2004 and 2008 but subsequently moved their mortgage to a different bank have been excluded from the 30% mortgage interest relief rate; if he intends to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18753/12]
175 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the range of tax credits available for married couples with children; if these tax credits differ from those available to cohabiting couples with children; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18688/12]
174 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the rationale for the lone parent tax credit; the reason this credit is no longer paid when the parents enter into a cohabiting relationship; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18687/12]
165 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance if he will establish an inter-departmental committee to develop a national strategy to tackle the illicit tobacco trade and monitor its implementation; if such an inter-departmental committee has ever been established on this issue before through his Department; if so, if he will provide an update on its work programme and outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18490/12]
164 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the amount he estimates is lost in revenue to the Irish Exchequer through the illegal tobacco trade here; the estimated loss in each of the years from 2005 to 2011; the most recent studies or data available to him on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18489/12]
263 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the potential sources of funding available from his Department for a volunteer sports organisation (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[17060/12]
565 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health when the new Health Service Executive director of mental health will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16194/12]
531 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the information that is available to her Department on the number of children, persons under the age of 18 years, who are currently homeless; the policy in place to tackle this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16684/12]
530 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the costs incurred by the State in respect of a child in its care being placed for care by a foster parent; the way these costs compare with the Health Service Executive placement of children in non-foster family situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16361/12]
529 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the structures the Health Service Executive has in place for social worker supports for foster parents; her views that these supports are adequate in view of the significant burden assumed by foster parents; if she intends to reform this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16360/12]
420 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons in his Department that work in the area of addressing homelessness here; the projects they are working on in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16685/12]
419 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authorities that currently have a full-time homeless officer; the number that had such a position in 2007; the number of such positions that are vacant; if he is satisfied that there are adequate resources and supports at local authority level to assist in tackling homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16683/12]
418 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of persons he estimates are homeless here; if he will provide a breakdown by city and town; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16682/12]
417 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the actions he is undertaking to tackle homelessness here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16681/12]
415 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline all the affordable housing and shared ownership schemes offered by his Department via local authorities; their current status; the way an individual can apply to be considered for these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16668/12]
411 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason a housing estate (details supplied) has not been included on the list of exempted ghost estates that are not required to pay the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16624/12]
373 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there are any plans to improve the standard of broadband to those availing of the national broadband scheme in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16834/12]
372 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the minimum standards acceptable for satellite Internet supply under the national broadband scheme; the quality of service this should enable users to avail of; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing some users of the service in accessing certain websites (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16833/12]
371 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of houses participating in the national broadband scheme in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16832/12]
351 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing a studio (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if he has had any contact with that studio on the matter to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16760/12]
340 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any plans to introduce additional top-up payments to social welfare entitlements for diabetes sufferers in recognition of the additional expenses they incur on account of the disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16956/12]
322 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) when a decision on their case may be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16693/12]
321 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an appeal for domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied); when a decision on their case may be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16692/12]
306 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the guidelines she has issued to local social welfare offices regarding the manner in which staff must interact with clients; if she will outline the manner of conduct expected from staff; the number of complaints she has received from clients unhappy with the manner in which they have been treated by local social welfare office staff; the complaints procedure she operates in this regard; the number of disciplinary actions that she has taken against staff in this regard; the sanctions that have been handed down; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16377/12]
305 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons in receipt of lone parents allowance and jobseeker’s benefit payment have their payments changed from weekly to monthly when they take up limited employment; if her attention has been drawn to the hardship that this change causes many families; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[16376/12]
255 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has issued a directive to local authorities explaining the way construction and roofing companies can tender for infrastructure construction projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16367/12]
203 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when an extension for a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow will take place; if the urgent nature of this extension can be taken into consideration; the current status of the school’s application for an extension within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16616/12]
190 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way roofing and construction companies can be included on his Department's tender lists for works; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16366/12]
177 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a situation (details supplied) whereby a university refused to classify an individual as an EU resident and insisted on charging non-EU resident fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16131/12]
176 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the directives he has issued to third level institutions as regards Irish and EU citizens who apply for postgraduate courses of study who have lived abroad in non-EU/EEA states but who are classified as non-residents by the immigration authorities of their current countries; if he will direct that these Irish citizens should be charged the EU/EEA rate of fees for postgraduate study; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16130/12]
175 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the policy of a university (details supplied) to charge non-EU resident fees for persons who are Irish and EU citizens who have resided in the United States of America but are classified as non-resident by the American authorities; his views that this situation is fair given that the relevant applicants are Irish and EU citizens who are not legally resident in another country; the steps he intends to take to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16129/12]
679 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the cost to the Health Service Executive of procuring wheelchairs and similar assistive aids, for each of the years 2007 to 2012; the savings made by the implementation of the aids and appliances recycling programme in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15451/12]
678 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health the process by which the Health Service Executive procures wheelchairs and other assistive aids; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15450/12]
439 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the current strength of the Garda Reserve; the total annual cost of the Garda Reserve by year since its formation; if he will provide an itemised annual expense breakdown for the Garda Reserve since its creation in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15001/12]
438 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a list of the expenses payable to members of the Garda Reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15000/12]
387 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will examine the possibility of utilising An Post’s nationwide network to enable house owners to pay the household charge through their local post office; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15559/12]