Parliamentary questions

Departmental Agencies Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

237. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will ensure that An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta budget will remain ring-fenced in the future under the new arrangement based on the decision he made to merge COGG with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; if the COGG will be in a position to make its own decisions regarding its budget in the future; if the Board of COGG be responsible for the management of COGG or will NCCA take over; his views on whether it would be better to reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2565/13]

Tax Code

Jonathan O'Brien

13. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance if he has been requested by any European or international Government or institution to review this State's corporation tax rate and the tax treatment of royalties. [1793/13]

Proposed Legislation

Jonathan O'Brien

57. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance if he has consulted with any investment, auditing and accounting institutions in the drafting of the Finance Bill 2013; if he will make available the advice that he was given in the drafting of the Bill and specify whether that advice was included in the Bill, specifically with regards to business tax, high earners tax and research and development taxation. [1792/13]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Jonathan O'Brien

242. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to fears that the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio from 17:1 - 19:1 will result in a 10% cut to staff in the Cork College of Commerce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57904/12]

Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers

Jonathan O'Brien

351. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an updated list, in tabular form, from 11 January 2013, the number of students on a county basis who have received from Student Universal Support Ireland payment of their third level grant or notification of when it is to be paid and the numbers of students on a county basis who have still to have their grant application approved. [2011/13]

Student Grant Scheme Delays

Jonathan O'Brien

352. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of students on a county basis who are awaiting to have their original grant applications reassessed or a decision made on their appeal by Student Universal Support Ireland. [2012/13]

Sports Capital Programme

Jonathan O'Brien

12 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the next round of funding will be available under the sports capital programme; the amount to be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57263/12]

Taxi Regulations

Jonathan O'Brien

43. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider further financial incentives to increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in the State’s taxi fleet. [57238/12]

Health Services Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

36. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he will reconsider his rejection of the call by a person (details supplied) for a full public inquiry into the tragic death of their spouse at Galway Regional Hospital on 28 October 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57025/12]

Departmental Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

71. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the way in which the projected €781 million reduction in the health budget in 2013 will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57024/12]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Jonathan O'Brien

101. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide assurances that the increase in the pupil teacher ratio in further education from 17:1 to 19:1 will not result in a reduction of 25 whole time equivalent teaching posts across the city of Cork Vocational Education Committee. [57142/12]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Jonathan O'Brien

102. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on concerns that as a result of the high number of retirements in a college (details supplied), eight staffing positions have been placed at risk as a result of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in further education programmes. [57143/12]

Child Care Services Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

68. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who used the services of the out-of-hours projects in counties Donegal and Cork each month since they were established; the number of children who repeatedly used the services during each of those months; the number of children who used the emergency place of safety service and separately, the crisis intervention service each month since it was established and the number of these children who were repeat users; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56771/12]

Children in Care

Jonathan O'Brien

72. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the waiting time that applied in the cases of the three young persons who were approved and are awaiting a special care placement and the one young person approved and awaiting a high support placement on 23 October 2012; if those young persons had received their placements on 23 November 2012; the number of children awaiting placement in high support or special care unit residential places on 12 December 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56772/12]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

208. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide copies of the minutes of meetings held between is Department and professional bodies representing behaviour analysts over the past decade, as his Department researched and devised its policy on the education of children with autism. [56442/12]

Post-Leaving Certificate Courses

Jonathan O'Brien

262. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the claims (details supplied) of the CEO of Cork City and County Vocational Education Committee that changes announced in Budget 2013 to the pupil teacher ratio will mean a reduction of 25 full time equivalent or 50 part time teachers across the three further education colleges in County Cork as well as the closure of specialised courses at a college (details further supplied). [56949/12]

Defence Forces Equipment

Jonathan O'Brien

30. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Defence if he has examined the possibility of procuring smaller naval coastal patrol vessels for the purposes of intercepting drugs landings on Irish coastal areas. [54710/12]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Jonathan O'Brien

94. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to concerns that up to 40 plus teaching posts have been placed at risk as a result of the decision announced in budget 2013 to increase the pupil-teacher ratio to 19:2, 19:1 in post leaving certificate courses; if he will provide details of any findings by his Department carried out in advance of this decision. [55901/12]

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Jonathan O'Brien

83. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to address the concerns set out in the recent Irish Refugee Council report on conditions in State-funded accommodation for those seeking asylum. [54474/12]

Court Procedures

Jonathan O'Brien

106. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to amend in camera rules for court hearings in family law cases; and the timeline in which he intends to complete same. [54473/12]

Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers

Jonathan O'Brien

180. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an updated list, in tabular form, from 3 December 2012 of the numbers of students on a county basis who have received from Student Universal Support Ireland payment of their third level grant or notification of when it is to be paid. [55308/12]

Housing Regeneration

Jonathan O'Brien

66. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the regeneration of Knocknaheeney, Cork, including what is currently under construction and what has been completed; the number of families that have been rehoused; and the timeframe for completion. [54247/12]

Immigration Policy

Jonathan O'Brien

453. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a 100% increase made in the fees charged to students having to renew their visas was introduced at less than a week’s notice; her views on criticism that students attempting to apply for the visa on the Friday before the increase came into effect, and who were asked to return the following Monday to resubmit their documentation, were unfairly penalised as a result of being charged the new higher rate of €300. [54032/12]

Television Reception

Jonathan O'Brien

36. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of television licence holders who have yet to make the digital switchover to Saorview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53342/12]

Television Reception

Jonathan O'Brien

38. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if all television licence holders are able to receive Saorview; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53343/12]

Student Grant Scheme Reform

Jonathan O'Brien

85. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process whereby the contract for running the Student Universal Support Ireland was awarded; the criteria used to judge the submissions of applicants submission; the system used to award points or to adjudicate on each application and the bodies or person's who sat on the independent selection panel including its Chairperson. [53413/12]

Student Grant Scheme Reform

Jonathan O'Brien

86. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the role he or his Department had in the selection of the successful application to administer Student Universal Support Ireland; when was the successful applicant chosen; when were they notified of their success and when were the unsuccessful applicants notified of their failure. [53414/12]

Student Grant Scheme Reform

Jonathan O'Brien

87. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills prior to the awarding of the contract to administer Student Universal Support Ireland to City of Dublin VEC, if any legislative changes were enacted by Dáil Éireann to allow CDVEC to access personal data and if so when and what were they. [53415/12]

Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers

Jonathan O'Brien

88. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an updated list, in tabular form, from Monday 26 November 2012 of the numbers of students on a county basis who have received from Student Universal Support Ireland payment of their third level grant or notification of when it is to be paid. [53418/12]

National Cultural Institutions

Jonathan O'Brien

40. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the recent abolition of the boards of the National Library and the National Museum will enhance Ireland’s cultural tourism market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53061/12]

Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas

Jonathan O'Brien

53. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Jonathan O'Brien den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta an bhfuil anailís costas/tairbhe déanta ar an tsamhail nua maoinithe atá á moladh ag Foras na Gaeilge d’earnáil dheonach na Gaeilge agus, má tá, cén toradh agus céard iad na moltaí a d’eascair as an anailís sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [52983/12]

Public Bike Schemes

Jonathan O'Brien

107. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the expansion of public bikes schemes in Dublin and other urban areas across the State. [52665/12]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Jonathan O'Brien

305. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form, the number of staff in his department, or in bodies that fall under the remit of his Department, whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in the relevant pay brackets. [52714/12]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Jonathan O'Brien

306. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is in excess of €200,000 in his Department or in any body under the remit of his department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he first made this contact; the number of staff whose annual salaries were in excess of €200,000 at that date; 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 [52715/12]

Employment Support Services

Jonathan O'Brien

37. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the impact recent declines in chemical and related projects may have on employment and Departmental strategy. [51901/12]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Jonathan O'Brien

33. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he intends to make any further changes to the top level appointments committee. [51551/12]

Public Sector Staff Redeployment

Jonathan O'Brien

34. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of the redeployment taking place across the system as stated in his progress on the implementation of the Government's Public Service Reform Plan September 2012. [51552/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Jonathan O'Brien

79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that a person (details supplied) is not employed by the Special Education Support Service but is in fact on part-time secondment from a college. [51729/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Jonathan O'Brien

80. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Council for Special Educators report into Evidence of Best Practice Models and Outcomes into the Education of Children with Emotional Disturbances and Behavioural Difficulties; the steps he has taken to implement the recommendation that behavioural psychologists and other psychology professionals have proposed to implement direct interventions with students with EBD within the school context. [51730/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Jonathan O'Brien

81. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working here who have a postgraduate qualification in ABA; the number of teachers who have received funding to study ABA at postgraduate level here; and if he will confirm that teachers who pursue a BCBA qualification must contract privately to have their work supervised. [51731/12]

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

82. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances under which a principal or teacher is obliged to implement the recommendations of a psychological or medical professional; and the circumstances which allow them to disregard these recommendations. [51732/12]

Adult Education

Jonathan O'Brien

105. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on claims by the National Adult Learning Organisation, AONTAS, that a lack of financial support and suitable course options are the biggest challenges for adults returning to education; and the efforts being made by him to integrate adult guidance with course provision, connect with employers, explore other funding models for part-time learners and establish better systems to gather evidence on the effectiveness of adult learning courses. [51524/12]

Student Grant Scheme Delays

Jonathan O'Brien

108. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in detail the process of outsourcing the scanning of grant application documents to a third party in County Cork; if a cost-benefit analysis was conducted prior to the awarding of the contract to the company; if the contract was put out to public tender; and the cost differential of outsourcing this element of the grant application process of Student Universal Support Ireland to delivering it in-house. [51342/12]

Access to Higher Education

Jonathan O'Brien

143. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any analysis or assessment has been carried out by his Department which projects the likely impact on access to higher education by persons in lower socio-economic groups as a result of recent cuts to maintenance grants and increases in registration fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51337/12]

Tax Code

Jonathan O'Brien

34. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance if relevant contracts tax is to be made applicable to some minor school maintenance work and repairs; if consideration has been given to the likely heavy administrative workload to be incurred by boards of management and the possible difficulties that may arise with regards to ensuring tax liability and compliance; and if he will enter into negotiations with Revenue in order that some consideration is given to introducing a reasonable minimum threshold for RCT and distinguishing between normal maintenance or repairs and large-scale system upgrades, refurbishment or construction works. [43106/12]

Trade Missions

Jonathan O'Brien

27. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details on the recent trade mission that he led to Brazil; and his expectations of future bilateral relations with Brazil following his visit. [50097/12]

Social Welfare Appeals Status

Jonathan O'Brien

117. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that the option of a review in advance of an appeal is given greater prominence and explanation in letters sent out turning down applications with a view to reducing the number of cases that go forward to the more costly and time consuming appeals process. [49852/12]

Social Welfare Appeals Status

Jonathan O'Brien

146. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will direct that deciding officers that are considering turning down an application for social welfare should make a telephone call to the applicant before finalising their decision during which basic things such as the absence of documentation or misunderstandings would come to light and these could be rectified in advance of the decision with a view to reducing the number of cases that go forward to the costly and time consuming appeals process. [49853/12]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

63. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the extent of, and the actions he will take to reverse, the decision of Health Service Executive services to refuse to provide incontinence pads to persons in need, including in serious health circumstances in some cases forcing medical card holders to buy a full box at a cost of €44 and the refusal to provide appropriate gloves for the safe insertion of catheters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48960/12]

Health Services Staff Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

64. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the annual outlay for personal assistants in each of the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the anticipated spend for same in 2012; if he will confirm that there will be no cuts to services for persons dependent on personal assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48961/12]