328 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to proceed with plans to make the planning process more democratic and to rebalance power towards elected representatives; his views on whether it is desirable that before a local authority acquires any land or an asset it should seek the approval and consent of the elected members of that local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32877/11]
327 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he expects the older people councils highlighted in the programme for Government to be established; the work done to date by him on the establishment of such councils; the role he envisages for these councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32871/11]
326 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32850/11]
325 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he intends to bring climate change legislation forward for consideration before the UN talks on climate change which will take place in Durban in December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32827/11]
311 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32847/11]
291 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he has had any discussions with the National Assets Management Agency regarding the possibility of capturing for the public good buildings under NAMA’s remit which have no commercial potential and which might be suitable as local facilities for art and culture; if any discussions have yielded a positive outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32874/11]
290 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of plans for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising; the structures in place to arrange this commemorative event; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32873/11]
289 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32845/11]
278 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to tackle child poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33286/11]
223 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the action she has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under her remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within her Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[32857/11]
198 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32854/11]
194 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32856/11]
147 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the number of resource teaching hours held back by him for allocation during the new school year that have now been allocated; when he expects 100% of these resource hours to have been allocated to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32861/11]
146 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on applied behaviour analysis; the role he sees for ABA within the education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32860/11]
145 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to deliver fully on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32849/11]
113 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32851/11]
100 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action he has taken to date to fulfil the commitment in the programme for Government to make substantial cuts to the number of State bodies and companies; the number of such bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32852/11]
93 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Taoiseach the number of State bodies and companies under his remit; the number that have been reformed, merged or abolished since March of this year; the plan in place within his Department to fully deliver on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32858/11]
536 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health in view of the undue hardship and stress that annual medical card reapplications cause for persons in receipt of invalidity pension payments, if he will consider granting medical cards to these persons for periods of longer than one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32319/11]
526 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Health if he intends to install adequate outdoor lighting at a former hospital site (details supplied) which is owned and maintained by the Health Service Executive, in view of escalating anti-social behaviour at the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32209/11]
450 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons confined to secure care facilities since the introduction of such facilities in the 1990s; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[32220/11]
349 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the legal position regarding the consumption of alcohol at unlicensed commercial venues which charge patrons a cover charge but allow them to bring their own alcohol onto the premises; if he intends to introduce legislation in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32129/11]
301 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will increase funding for a planned sewerage scheme (details supplied) in County Wicklow which has been needed for over ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32349/11]
290 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if specific flood and severe weather plans have been prepared by each of the local authorities under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32180/11]
289 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the consolidation of responsibilities relating to the management of severe weather events and flooding, carried out by a multitude of agencies, have been considered in view of the 2010 report into the management of severe weather events in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32179/11]
288 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the Management of Severe Weather Events in Ireland and Related Matters, July 2010, have been implemented by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32178/11]
266 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress that has been made to date on plans to restructure the waste market here; the impact that these plans will have on the cost to consumers; if it is expected that the number of waste operators here will reduce as a result of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31805/11]
265 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding has been made available for a sewerage scheme at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31804/11]
267 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the body or agency with whom the responsibility lies for ensuring that building regulations are adhered to; the number of site inspections carried out annually in this regard; the penalties in place when the regulations are found to have been breached; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31806/11]
269 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will use the environment fund to support Ireland’s contribution to the European Union fund on climate finance, as in 2010, for the years 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31808/11]
268 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the progress made to date on the drafting of a climate law, as set out in the programme for Government; if he will be in a position to send the heads of the Bill to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht in advance of the Christmas recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31807/11]
251 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the management of severe weather events in Ireland and related matters, July 2010, in relation to the role of the ESB in major emerging management has been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32184/11]
130 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has engaged in talks with a company (details supplied), in view of the recent job losses at that company; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31802/11]
129 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his strategy for job creation in County Wicklow; if he has consulted with the Industrial Development Agency Ireland on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31801/11]
128 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he is taking to encourage job creation outside large urban centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31800/11]
100 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the works that have been undertaken in improving flood defences at a location (details supplied); if he will detail any outstanding works yet to commence; if he will give further details and a timeframe for these works; the level of ongoing contact between the Office of Public Works and the relevant local authorities on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32183/11]
99 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the budget allocated to the Office of Public Works for flood risk assessment and management measures in each of the years 2006 to 2011, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32182/11]
98 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the management of severe weather events in Ireland and related matters, July 2010, have been implemented by the Office of Public Works; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32181/11]
86 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will sanction the grant of a full teaching post in respect of an application for resource hours made by a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32314/11]
49 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will be making an application to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund on behalf of the former employees of a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31803/11]
47 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will release funding for and approve a grant of resource hours in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow, who has changed primary schools and has applied for their resource hours to transfer with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31793/11]
46 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will release funding to the National Council for Special Education for a grant of resource hours in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who has changed primary schools and has applied for their resource hours to transfer with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31792/11]
32 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance the rationale for the discrepancy in the level of taxation applied to a packet of cigarettes compared to hand-rolling and other non-cigarette tobacco; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32339/11]
19 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Finance if the National Asset Management Agency has considered measures to prevent the transfer of assets from NAMA debtors to spouses or other family members; if any legal proceedings have been initiated to reverse such transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31799/11]
67 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection the payments which she makes to persons placed on community employment schemes; their entitlements to social welfare benefits while on placement; if she has any plans to reform these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31732/11]
426 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay in processing an application for naturalisation as an Irish citizen in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31296/11]
353 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities are mandated to consider if persons on social housing lists have had their housing needs fulfilled when they are accepted onto the rental accommodation scheme; if they will still be considered for housing opportunities on social housing lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30749/11]
185 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school’s (details supplied) applications and appeals in respect of special needs assistants and resource hours will be decided by the National Council for Special Education; if he will provide a timeframe for when parents, teachers and pupils can expect to hear the result of their applications and appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[31385/11]
47 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason FÁS has not progressed a person (details supplied) beyond level 5 of their plumbing apprenticeship, despite their being eligible for advancement and having served over 200 weeks of their apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30338/11]
563 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the Croke Park agreement; if he has received implementation plans for this agreement from his Department and each State agency under his remit; the status of these implementation plans; the discussion he has had with the EU and IMF regarding the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[29692/11]