Parliamentary questions

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

388. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is more than €200,000 in her Department or in any body under the remit of hers Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if she has, the date on which he first made this contact; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver; and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52536/12]

Illness Benefit Costs

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

412. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her statement reported in the media in August 2012 (details supplied) that her proposal to transfer the initial cost of illness benefit to employers would not apply to companies employing fewer than 100 workers remains her intention; and if she will confirm that her estimated saving figure of €89 million is based on the exclusion of all companies employing fewer than 100 workers and or any other exclusions. [52831/12]

Nursing Home Accommodation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

637. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the amount invested by the Health Service Executive and St. James's Hospital on nursing home facilities at Brú Caoimhghnín, Cork Street, Dublin, each year for the past 10 years. [52345/12]

Hospitals Building Programme

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

638. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the intended future use of each of the three existing paediatric hospitals once the new national children's hospitals has been completed and opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52346/12]

Maternity Services

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

639. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health his future plans for the maternity hospitals in Dublin city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52347/12]

Employment Rights Issues

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

12. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way he intends to safeguard the rights of migrant workers under the workplace relations legislation. [51889/12]

Proposed Legislation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

19. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide a timeframe for the introduction of the new workplace relations legislation. [51890/12]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

28. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider withdrawing the special TLAC pension provisions of an additional lump sum payment of half a year's salary and up to ten added years enabling early retirement on a full pension uniquely awarded to a number of existing secretaries general and city and county managers. [51547/12]

Public Sector Pensions Legislation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

48. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he intends to review current public sector pension abatement legislation. [51546/12]

Family Income Supplement Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

138. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if the processing of family income supplement has been ceased until after Christmas; and if so, the reason for same. [51923/12]

Student Grant Scheme Payments

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

138. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff currently allocated across the 66 vocational educational committees and local authorities to process the grant applications of existing third level students; the total number of grant applications lodged with the 66 bodies; and the percentage of these applications that are awaiting outstanding documentation from applicants. [51340/12]

Medical Card Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

580. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has had their full medical card changed to a doctor only card with no notice or reason. [50989/12]

Promissory Note Negotiations

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

10. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance if in the event of no deal being reached on the issue of the promissory note, that it is his intention to pay IBRC the €3.1 billion promissory due on 31 March 2013 and Bank of Ireland the sum due on the one year bond acquired in 2011 by that bank as part of that year's €3.1 billion promissory note payment to IBRC. [50519/12]

Bank Guarantee Scheme Bond Repayments

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

58. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide detail of the remaining schedule of payments of unsecured and unguaranteed bonds held by all of the covered institutions detailing the cost of each of these payments. [50520/12]

Nuclear Proliferation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

49. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent comments of the Israeli Prime Minister that he is ready to order a unilateral strike on Iran; his views on the possible implication of these comments. [50096/12]

Tax Relief Application

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

110. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the programme for Government commitment and national pensions framework proposal to reduce tax reliefs on private pensions in view of comments (details supplied) that the reliefs will not be reduced but instead a cap introduced and if he will elaborate on those comments. [49832/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

101. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the findings of the Focus Ireland report, Out of Reach: The impact of changes in Rent Supplement, that persons are homeless as a consequence of the cuts to the rent supplement scheme; her response to the findings; and the steps she will take on foot of the report. [49977/12]

Pension Provisions

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

112. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take in response to the finding contained in her Department's report on pension charges that the private pensions industry is taking up to a third of the value of persons' retirement savings in charges. [49831/12]

Child Benefit Rates

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

338. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, The Human Face of Austerity; and her view on the assertion that those who depend on social welfare income supports must be protected from further cutbacks. [49978/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

353. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason rent allowance payment ceased in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16; and when it will be reinstated. [49588/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Payments

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

373. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the current rent supplement thresholds in north Tipperary and south Tipperary; the reasons for any variances; her view on whether these thresholds are an accurate reflections of the rental market, and if any change in this threshold is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49769/12]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

374. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to incidents of landlords seeking payments from tenants in excess of the rent supplement thresholds, if she believes such practices are wide-spread, the action she is taking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49770/12]

Drug Treatment Programmes Availability

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

588. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the steps he has taken to ensure the maintenance of the Coolmine Therapeutic Community Centre's mother and child rehabilitation service which is in need of funding, so much so, that they cannot fund a nurse or child specialist for their Dublin West facility. [49461/12]

Drug Treatment Programmes Funding

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

589. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that for every €1 spent on drug rehabilitation programmes, €3 is saved from the prison budget; his views on the collaboration programmes and shared budget streams between his Department and the Department of Justice. [49462/12]

Universal Health Insurance Provision

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

27. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will set out his revised timetable for the promised roll-out of free general practitioners care, beginning with long-term illness patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48974/12]

Care of the Elderly

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

32. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure the provision of care home places and other supports to allow the discharge of more than 600 acute hospital patients who are ready to be discharged but who cannot be discharged due to the lack of such supports and places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48973/12]

Community Employment Schemes Places

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

185. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of participants on community employment programmes on 1 October 2012 and 1 October 2011, nationally and specifically in counties Dublin and Cork; the number of participants in receipt of disability allowance and also the number of community employment participants on one parent family payment on the above dates nationally and in counties Dublin and Cork. [49111/12]

Defence Forces Ombudsman

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

13. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that his decision to change the role of the Defence Forces Ombudsman from full time to part time is adequate for the duties entailed in the role. [48464/12]

Defence Forces Reorganisation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

23. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the way the proposals for the reorganisation of the Defence Forces as applied to Dublin have improved their capacity to discharge their responsibilities to our capital city and the strategic hub of the State. [48463/12]

Job Statistics

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

144. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach the number of companies operating here that have 100 employees or more. [47787/12]

Tax Reliefs Application

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

221. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Finance his views in relation to comments (details supplied) regrding a pensions cap for the purposes of tax relief; if he will explain how this would work;and if this approach is being considered instead of reducing tax reliefs as was provided for in the National Pensions Framework. [47778/12]

Home-School Liaison Scheme

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

277. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is only 20 hours a week of home tutoring available for two siblings with autism. [48617/12]

Child Care Services Inquiry

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

434. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection further to her response to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 16 October 2012 in which she indicates that the inter department group on school-age childcare has completed its work if she will arrange for the publication of its full findings, conclusions and recommendations and the date of same. [47678/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

516. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 16 October 2012, in which she indicates that the inter departmental group on school-age childcare has completed its work; if she will arrange for the publication of its full findings, conclusions and recommendations and the date of same. [47677/12]

Tax Reliefs Application

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

532. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her views made in the media on 23 October 2012, to the effect that the Government are considering introducing a pensions cap for the purposes of tax relief; if she will explain how this would work and if this approach is being considered instead of reducing tax reliefs as was provided for in the National Pensions Framework. [47777/12]

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

1015. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 10 October 2012, the reason for the delay in the approval of ankle and foot orthotics in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; if he will ensure that this application is processed promptly; and when the child is likely to get approval in order that their splints may be ordered [47543/12]

Vaccination Programme

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

1162. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in presenting a paper on the supports to be made available to children who developed narcolepsy as a consequence of the State sponsored vaccination programme involving pandemrix as had been promised to parent representatives of those affected, the position regarding the paper and a date when he expects to bring it to Dail Eireann. [48441/12]

Medical Card Drugs

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

1166. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of medications that have been taken off the medical card over the past 12 months [48531/12]

Child Protection

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

22. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the implementation plan for the roll out of a State-wide out of hours emergency social care service; if this plan will be published before Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46763/12]

Drugs Seizures

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

155. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of seizures of the illegal drug pseudoephedrine in each of the past 10 years and the seizure's location, value and size. [46920/12]

Defence Forces Family Clinics

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

179. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the number of deaths there have been of serving members of the Defence Forces each year sine 2000; the cause of each death; and the number that were due to suicide. [47113/12]

Defence Forces Family Clinics

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

180. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the number of suicide deaths within the Defence Forces since 2000; the number that were prescribed Lariam at the time or had been in the years prior to their deaths. [47114/12]

Defence Forces Medicinal Products

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

181. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the persons within the army that were prescribed the 27,392 Doxycycline anti-malaria tablets issued between 2006 and 2012 and not another anti-malaria drug; if rank, unit, health status, duties, age, marital status, and length of time served or prescribing MO determine which anti-malaria tablets were prescribed to whom. [47115/12]

Medicinal Products Supply

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

235. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to making it compulsory for ID to be produced for everyone purchasing medical products containing pseudo ephedrine, that all such products are stored out of customers' reach and that a doctor prescription will be required for all products containing more than 800mg of pseudo ephedrine per pack as is the case in Australia [46922/12]

Medicinal Products Supply

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

236. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has of rolling out a drug awareness programme aimed at pharmacists in particular to increase vigilance about pseudo ephedrine and the production of methamphetamine crystal meth [46924/12]

Proposed Legislation

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

27. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to bring forward legislation to shorten the period that a couple would have to be separated in order to be eligible for divorce from the current four out of the last five years. [46416/12]

Legislative Programme

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

86. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to introduce legislation to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 to allow registration of death in Ireland of Irish citizens who have died abroad. [46569/12]

Fuel Allowance Applications

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

87. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons who transferred from a one parent family payment onto a community employment scheme during the summer months and who were entitled to fuel allowance last fuel season are entitled to a fuel allowance now that the fuel season has commenced in keeping with the premise that you should not lose secondary benefits by virtue of participation on CE. [46580/12]

Social Welfare Appeals Status

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

98. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will make available a report on the social welfare appeals office covering the second two quarters of 2012 as she did in relation to the first quarter of the year. [46692/12]

Urban Renewal Schemes

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

81. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on his plans for the regeneration of an area (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [46197/12]