Parliamentary questions

Foreign Conflicts

Mick Wallace

63. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether comments made by the President of the United States in support of pre-emptive military strike by Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities are in breach of United Nations Charters and international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45098/12]

International Relations

Mick Wallace

64. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent wave of protests across the Muslim world sparked by an obscure American made video; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45099/12]

Disability Allowance Application Numbers

Mick Wallace

69. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has received the report on State payments to the disabled from the expert advisory group on tax and social welfare; her views on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44578/12]

Disability Allowance Application Numbers

Mick Wallace

78. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the proposal to end disability allowance payments to children under the age of 18 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44577/12]

Departmental Properties

Mick Wallace

13. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number and location of empty buildings owned by the State; the cost to the Exchequer per annum of each of these buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43385/12]

Departmental Properties

Mick Wallace

30. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost to the State per annum of unused buildings owned by the State in terms of maintenance, security, insurance and any other relevant costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43384/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Mick Wallace

85. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to commence the remaining sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; his further plans to commence section 13 and the sections relating to the introduction of a personal education plan for each student with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43044/12]

University Legal Fees

Mick Wallace

86. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown in tabular form of the amount paid by each of the universities in legal fees for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; if he will provide in tabular form the legal firms representing each of the universities and the amount they received in respect of this representation for the same years; if he will set out the tendering process for the awarding of these contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43043/12]

Fiscal Policy

Mick Wallace

188. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on the research carried out by the Nevin Economic Research Institute which argues that the fiscal adjustment of €3.5 billion planned for Budget 2013 could destroy 29,000 jobs in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43365/12]

Tax Code

Mick Wallace

7. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on a memorandum prepared for the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations which states that Microsoft used Irish subsidiaries to reduce its US tax bill by $2.43 billion in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42321/12]

Tax Code

Mick Wallace

42. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on the use of aggressive tax structures by multinational corporations such as Microsoft in order to save itself billions in taxes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42322/12]

ICCROM Membership

Mick Wallace

36. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reasons Ireland's membership to the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property has lapsed in the past two years; if a cost-benefit analysis was carried out to justify this decision not to pay the €16,300 annual contribution; if he will publish this analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42036/12]

Arts Funding

Mick Wallace

39. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts; Heritage and the Gaeltacht the current position and future policy regarding the funding of opera here and the relevant responsible body; his views on whether Ireland should have a National Opera Company; if he will outline the reasons for the collapse of the Irish National Opera Company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42035/12]

Small and Medium Enterprises Supports

Mick Wallace

84. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation his plans for targeted action to relieve pressure on small and medium sized businesses in the domestic economy in view of the fact that the pressure of keeping businesses open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41629/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Mick Wallace

12. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on a report published by the Irish Refugee Council on 18 September 2012 which catalogues over ten years of enforced child poverty, malnutrition and social exclusion caused by the system of direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40660/12]

Ministerial Correspondence

Mick Wallace

64. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the submission of the newly formed United Farmers' Association in relation to reform of the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40442/12]

Ministerial Correspondence

Mick Wallace

76. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the proposals for reform of the single farm payment put forward by the newly formed United Farmers Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40443/12]

Defence Forces Reorganisation

Mick Wallace

12. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Defence if the option of voluntary relocation will be open to members of the Defence Forces as part of the reorganisation of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39523/12]

Defence Forces Reorganisation

Mick Wallace

23. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Defence if he has opened discussions with the representative bodies in relation to the implementation of the reorganisation of the Defence Forces; his views on reports that there is much confusion over whether or not Defence Forces personnel will have the option of voluntary relocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39524/12]

Juvenile Offenders

Mick Wallace

21. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the protection regime in St. Patrick's Institution, Dublin, which can see children locked up for up to 23 hours a day with little access to education, physical activity and association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33341/12]

Magdalen Laundries Issues

Mick Wallace

35. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will allocate further resources to the Inter-Departmental Committee investigating State involvement with the Magdalene Laundries in order to allow it to complete its work as soon as possible; if he will begin implementing a reparation scheme for the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39287/12]

Water Quality

Mick Wallace

78. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when Irish Water is set up, which body or person will take responsibility for outstanding European Court of Justice cases in the field of environmental water quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39041/12]

Local Authority Funding

Mick Wallace

82. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the way he plans to fund local government in 2013 if he manages to implement the property tax proposed for next year; if he will provide a breakdown per annum of the sources and amounts of local government funding between 2006 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39042/12]

Postal Services

Mick Wallace

15 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the possibility of making post offices more sustainable by allowing them to provide the facility of motor tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35736/12]

Postal Services

Mick Wallace

20 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the proposals put forward in the Grant Thornton report commissioned by the Irish Postmasters’ Union to make motor tax payable at post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35735/12]

Equality Issues

Mick Wallace

112 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered undertaking an equality audit of budget 2012, with a particular emphasis on gender, in order to assess the ways in which the budget has impacted upon different sections of Irish society; if such an audit will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36525/12]

Equality Issues

Mick Wallace

113 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to follow international best practice by undertaking gender impact assessments during the development of budget 2013; if gender impact assessments of budget 2012 will inform budget 2013; if such assessments will be made available to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36526/12]

Equality Issues

Mick Wallace

114 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance the reason the tax increases and public expenditure cuts which made up budget 2012, impacted differently on men and women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36527/12]

Departmental Reports

Mick Wallace

725 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the delay in the publication of the report by the Expert Group on the A, B and C v. Ireland judgment of the European Court of Human Rights; when this report will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[36239/12]

National Monuments

Mick Wallace

19 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the consent application to build on the historic site of 14-17 Moore Street which requires his approval in order to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35438/12]

National Monuments

Mick Wallace

20 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there has been any further contact with the National Asset Management Agency with a view to incorporating some form of historical area connected with Moore Street and the 1916 Rising and the proposed adjacent commercial development now under the control of NAMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[35437/12]

Child Care Services

Mick Wallace

40 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 330 and 332 of 3 July 2012, when the inter-departmental sub-group on school age child care will report in view of the timeline outlined in her statement to Dáil Éireann of 18 April 2012 of having a credible, bankable commitment from the Government on the delivery of a Scandinavian style child care system by the time of this year’s budget; if she will engage in a consultation process with groups representing lone parents and other relevant organisations to discuss the proposals put forward by the inter-departmental sub-group; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[34998/12]

Child Care Services

Mick Wallace

44 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 330 and 332 of 3 July 2012, and her reference to the availability of subsided child care through the community child care subvention programme, her views on the reported staffing crisis facing community child care services as a result of changes to the community employment schemes introduced in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[34999/12]

United Nations Conventions

Mick Wallace

513 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Government will publish its next report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in view of the fact that the report is now seven years overdue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34547/12]

United Nations Conventions

Mick Wallace

514 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reasons for the delay by Government in submitting its next report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; when he plans to publish this report; if he will enter into a consultation process with civil society organisations in relation to any draft report and give them sufficient time to make comments, observations and contributions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[34548/12]

Media Mergers

Mick Wallace

12 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline his discussions with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources as regards the media mergers aspect of the consumer and competition Bill; when he plans to publish this legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33968/12]

Proposed Legislation

Mick Wallace

27 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he plans to publish the consumer and competition Bill and introduce it to Dáil Éireann before the end of 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[33967/12]

Human Rights Issues

Mick Wallace

8 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the recent report by Amnesty International which suggests that militias in Libya are repeating some of the same abuses as the Gaddafi regime and that 4,000 people remain in detention centres outside the reach of the central authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33703/12]

Human Rights Issues

Mick Wallace

36 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the ongoing violations in Libya including arbitrary arrests and detention, torture including to death, impunity for unlawful killings and forcible displacement as highlighted in the recent report by Amnesty International; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33704/12]

Children Detention Schools

Mick Wallace

45 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children currently detained at St. Patrick’s Institution, Dublin; her views on the need to introduce interim steps to transfer these 16 and 17 year olds out of that institution; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[33340/12]

Financial Transactions Tax

Mick Wallace

7 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he has carried out a cost-benefit analysis in order to assess the benefits or consequences for Ireland of adopting a European financial transaction tax; the conclusions of any such analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32719/12]

Financial Transactions Tax

Mick Wallace

9 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he will explain in detail the reasons behind his decision not to participate in the new European tax on financial transactions agreed in principle by nine EU countries on 22 June 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32718/12]

Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest

Mick Wallace

18 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to enhance protections in the proposed protected disclosures in the public interest Bill in order to ensure that the identity of persons who come forward with information about possible wrongdoing remains confidential; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32447/12]

Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest

Mick Wallace

21 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to strengthen safeguards in the proposed whistleblowing legislation in order to better protect individuals coming forward with information about possible wrongdoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[32446/12]

Sale of State Assets

Mick Wallace

80 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance if he has examined other potential means of funding a stimulus plan aside from through the sale of State assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26534/12]

Child Care Services

Mick Wallace

330 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made to date in the development of her credible, bankable plan for Scandinavian-style child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31764/12]

Child Care Services

Mick Wallace

332 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will guarantee that, in the intervening period before the introduction of a system of Scandinavian-style child care, no parent who moves from the one parent family payment to jobseeker’s allowance will have their payment cut because they are deemed not to meet genuinely seeking work requirements if they cannot source child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31766/12]

Employment Support Services

Mick Wallace

331 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress that has been made to date on the development of a case management approach to the pathways to work scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31765/12]