192 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied regarding the proposed closure of St. Mary’s Hospital, Baldoyle, in view of commitments to providing local medical services and increasing the capital investment in medical facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[36816/05]
191 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which the services currently and formerly provided in the area at St. Mary’s Hospital, Baldoyle, are to be provided in future; if, in view of the ongoing need for capital investment in hospitals and medical facilities her attention has been drawn to medical services which could usefully be provided at this existing hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[36815/05]
190 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the discussions which have taken place between her Department or the Health Services Executive and the Sisters of Charity on the imminent closure of St. Mary’s Hospital, Baldoyle; if taking the hospital into State ownership is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[36814/05]
115 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that WEEE charges are being paid for by the manufacturer or retailer rather than the consumer.
[36681/05]
135 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his Department has had any approaches from Howth Yacht Club in relation to extending its area on land or sea at Howth Harbour.
[36167/05]
53 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a cost estimate for the proposed new rail interconnector from Spencer Dock to Heuston Station as proposed in the Transport 21 plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36064/05]
76 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if the proposed new transport authority to be established by Ms Margaret O’Mahony of Trinity College Dublin will have a national remit or if it will exclusively be involved in transport planning within the greater Dublin area; the proposed future role of the Dublin Transportation Office in relation to the new authority; and the way in which the new authority will be able to incorporate land use planning considerations in its role.
[36063/05]
91 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has examined the difficulties facing aged-out non-Irish minors who have applied for leave to remain here; his plans to address the cases of the relatively small number of persons in theses circumstances who wish to continue making a contribution to society here; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35754/05]
66 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the fact that at the end of 2005 there will be less gardaí relative to the population of the State than in each of the previous five years; his plans to rectify same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35751/05]
11 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if the agenda for the mid-December EU summit has been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34051/05]
10 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the outcome of the 27 October 2005 informal European Council meeting in the United Kingdom.
[34050/05]
2 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the agenda for the 27 October 2005 informal Heads of State or Government meeting in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30216/05]
501 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of the treatment programme for sex offenders in prisons here; the capacity of the programme; the take up rates of these programmes; if there are waiting lists; the annual operating costs of the treatment programmes and his plans to extend these programmes.
[35531/05]
500 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of sex offenders on the register nationally; the number in prison and the number who have completed their prison term; the number on the register who were convicted of an offence while on the register; a county breakdown of the persons on the register but now released; the obligations on the offender who is listed on the register; if he has satisfied himself with the way in which the register is operating; and if he has satisfied himself further that there are adequate safeguards provided to protect the public in the maintenance of the register.
[35530/05]
154 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made to date in 2005 on the implementation of the taskforce on obesity; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35444/05]
84 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the latest figures for new variant CJD in the Republic; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[35443/05]
28 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach his views on developments, including his letter of 26 October 2005 to party leaders in Dáil Éireann, regarding the possible role for MPs from Northern Ireland in the work of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
[34048/05]
27 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent official visit to Belfast; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34047/05]
14 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on recent contacts or meetings with the Northern Ireland political parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30214/05]
13 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his 11 October 2005 meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30213/05]
2 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the facilities or provisions available within his Department for the child care needs of his Department’s staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30212/05]
158 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the purpose of the Sea Fisheries (Tuna and Certain Other Species) Fishing Regulations 2005; the number of authorisations which have been applied for and granted under these regulations; and if he intends to promote a commercial tuna fishing industry here.
[34550/05]
104 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the case taken against Ireland for breach of European Union fish quota rules as decided upon in January 2005 has been resolved; if other outstanding cases exist between the State and the European Union regarding a reported failure to implement EU fishery control legislation; and if Ireland may face fines if it were found to be in continued breach of such control and monitoring measures.
[34549/05]
1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent work of the National Security Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25210/05]
651 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if in the monitoring process for the national development plan there are specialist units in respect of the environment horizontal principle as there are for the social inclusion horizontal principle in the form of both the Office of Social Inclusion and the Combat Poverty Agency.
[34202/05]
461 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on whether the removal of excise duty on energy crops would give viability to many farmers who are suffering a dramatic fall-off in farm incomes.
[34403/05]
460 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the support she will give to local authorities when waters become contaminated with cryptosporidium through a variety of routes (details supplied).
[34402/05]
459 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her Department has identified the cryptosporidium pathogen (details supplied), which can occur in carcasses, and can pose a threat to drinking water supplies.
[34401/05]
458 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will support a 50% grant aid scheme to be made available to all farmers to convert their fossil fuel boilers to bio-fuel boilers.
[34400/05]
457 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on whether the stamp duty relief that is available to young farmers under the age of 35 years should be extended beyond its current expiry date of 31 December 2005, in order to continue to provide an incentive for young people to opt for farming as a career.
[34397/05]
456 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she studied in detail the report she received in mid-September 2005 that was carried out by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the United Kingdom on the effect of agricultural chemicals when sprayed on farmers and other persons, especially developing children living in the vicinity of the sprayed area; and the action she plans to take based on the report’s findings.
[34396/05]
394 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if legislation will be introduced to revoke the driving licence and haulage licence of commercial drivers or hauliers charged with illegal dumping; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34017/05]
393 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the report from an economist (details supplied) at a recent energy conference held in Dublin that with the increase in global oil prices and the impact it is having on the steeply rising price of aviation fuel, it is not feasible in the long term to pursue the construction of an additional runway at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34016/05]
267 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether community-based alternative energy projects in rural areas would benefit by the extension of the business expansion scheme to cover such projects; and if he would support such a move.
[34399/05]
266 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance if he will support the removal of VAT on investments in renewable energy projects, in order to make it a more attractive proposition for farmers to convert to domestic biofuel boilers, and to install solar panels.
[34398/05]
217 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the case being put by parents and friends at a school (details supplied) which is seeking the appointment of speech and occupational therapists which are needed in the school; and her willingness to accede to this request.
[33888/05]
430 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the guarantees she can give to Irish farmers that genetically modified oilseed rape animal feed due to be imported here will not germinate and cross contaminate other brassica crops, ending farm livelihood’s which depend on GM free production.
[34475/05]
159 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the guarantees which can be given to farmers here that genetically modified oilseed rape animal feed due to be imported here will not germinate and cross contaminate other brassica crops, ending farm livelihoods which depend on genetically modified free production.
[34228/05]
132 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to ensure smuggling of cattle in the Border counties is eradicated in view of the recent discovery of calves wandering on a road near Ballybofey on 12 October 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33761/05]
96 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to help producers here compete against the deluge of imported foods that do not have to meet the same high quality standards that Irish food has to reach and is therefore available at much cheaper prices; and when she intends to introduce the country of origin labelling that was promised, upon which the livelihood of many of our food producers depend.
[34378/05]
8 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach when the active citizenship task force last met; when the next meeting is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28644/05]
3 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the functions and responsibilities of the Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28643/05]
88 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the treatment by the Chinese authorities of North Korean refugees, many of whom are sent back to North Korea where they face further persecution and possible death; if he has raised the issue with the Chinese authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33573/05]
50 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding Irish humanitarian aid to the parts of south Asia effected by the recent massive earthquake; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33572/05]
374 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the bleak future for fossil-fuel prices, and the high quality of energy-conservation and insulation technologies which are already available, he will consider a radical upgrade in energy conservation and building regulations to move Ireland to a position where new buildings require almost or entirely no heating.
[33465/05]
314 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many long distance trains do not carry bicycles due to the frequent use of Arrow carriages on these routes; if he agrees Arrow carriages are not suitable for long distance journeys, such as Dublin to Limerick or Dublin to Wexford, and to ensure something is done so that passengers who wish to bring a bicycle can be certain that they will be able to do so.
[33466/05]
313 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that regulations here governing the time truck and van drivers can drive without breaks and sleep are satisfactory and are being enforced; and to make a statement on the issue of controlling the standard of truck driving, particularly in regard to the killing and injuring of cyclists; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33464/05]