Parliamentary questions

Garda Strength

Derek Nolan

540. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 560, if he will provide a breakdown, per county, of community gardaí who have been in place every year since 2008; if his attention has been drawn to any plans to increase the numbers of community gardaí; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9412/14]

State Properties

Eric J. Byrne

541. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will designate a liaison person from the prison service who will liaise with Dublin City Council and local residents on the derelict site owned by them at the corner of SCR and Kilmainham Road; the position regarding the site, detailing planning permission, works carried out on the site, future plans with timelines and design-tender briefs prepared for the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9415/14]

Garda Station Opening Hours

Seán Kenny

542. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if any of the Garda stations in the Dublin region will have an open day within the next six months; the dates and times of each; if he will ensure each open day is published on the Garda website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9419/14]

Personal Insolvency Act

Ann Phelan

543. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons, on a county basis, who have engaged, so far, with the Personal Insolvency Service under the three separate headings outlined by the Personal Insolvency Act; the number of debt relief notices that have been issued since the Act’s inception; the number of debt relief arrangements that have been entered into; the number of personal insolvency arrangements that have been struck; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9478/14]

Surveillance Operations

Niall Collins

544. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has signed any document approving surveillance - covert, electronic or otherwise - on any serving Member of the Oireachtas since 9 March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9495/14]

Surveillance Operations

Niall Collins

545. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that no serving Member of the Oireachtas is currently under surveillance of any kind by any agent of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9496/14]

Surveillance Operations

Niall Collins

546. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has signed any document approving surveillance - covert, electronic or otherwise - by agents of the State on any person in the employment of a media organisation or publication operating in Ireland since 9 March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9497/14]

Surveillance Operations

Niall Collins

547. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that no person currently in the employment of a media organisation or publication operating in Ireland is currently under surveillance of any kind by agents of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9498/14]

Crime Prevention

Pádraig MacLochlainn

548. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the ongoing crimes against the elderly and most vulnerable in County Donegal, if he will review his decision not to make a case to the Department of Finance for the moneys raised through the Criminal Assets Bureau to be used to set up and support community alert schemes in rural areas as proposed by Letterkenny Town Council; and if money allocated to these schemes could then be used to fit alarms and security lights at the homes of the elderly most at risk from criminals. [9508/14]

Garda Station Closures

Sandra McLellan

549. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Garda station in Rathcormac, County Cork is due to close; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9549/14]

Magdalen Laundries

Niall Collins

550. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications received, pay-outs issued and medical benefits secured to survivors of the Magdalen laundries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9597/14]

Garda Reports

Finian McGrath

551. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding firearms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9605/14]

Garda Transport Provision

Robert Troy

552. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will make the necessary resources available for a Garda car for Kinnegad Garda station; if he will confirm that there will be no reduction in staffing levels in this station due to forthcoming retirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9618/14]

Family Reunification Policy

Tom Fleming

553. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding his Department's policy document on non-EEA family reunification and the persons issue with Article 17.2, social welfare not being a reckonable income and the contradiction of new policy with Article 41.3 of the Irish Constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9620/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Terence Flanagan

554. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount in consultancy fees that has been spent with a company (details supplied) and similar type companies over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9637/14]

Consultancy Contracts

Lucinda Creighton

555. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to his statement on 18 February 2014 that he had received a peer review report on the technical matters of relevance from a company (details supplied) to seek clarification of the technical information contained in the Verrimus report and an opinion with regard to the risks as identified and presented to GSOC, if he will detail the date when the company were contracted to undertake its peer review; the total number of contracted hours the company undertook in completing the peer review; the total cost of the peer review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9653/14]

Restorative Justice

Mary Lou McDonald

556. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he will introduce the Restorative Justice Bill. [9656/14]

Magdalen Laundries

Mary Lou McDonald

557. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Magdalen redress scheme. [9657/14]

Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Awards

Gerry Adams

558. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when new members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board will be appointed; the number of cases to be considered; and the length of time it will take to process applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9668/14]

Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Awards

Gerry Adams

559. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a decision on an application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Louth will issue; if the application is deemed successful, when the person may expect payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9669/14]

Crime Investigation

Clare Daly

560. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will investigate serious allegations of phone hacking by a company (details supplied) from their Dublin offices over at period of years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. [9679/14]

Court Procedures

Maureen O'Sullivan

561. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reasons evidence caught on CCTV cameras is not allowed to be used in court; the purpose of having CCTV in public places if evidence cannot then be used in criminal cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9680/14]

Magdalen Laundries

Joan Collins

562. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will deliver all the entitlements and benefits of the restorative justice called for by Mr. Justice Quirke, that is, pensions and health care benefits. [9698/14]

Firearms Licences

Pádraig MacLochlainn

563. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is planning to introduce new legislation on firearms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9736/14]

Magdalen Laundries

Joan Collins

564. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the dedicated unit and helpline for the survivors of the Magdalen laundries, as recommended by Mr. Justice Quirke, have not been set up to assist those survivors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9667/14]

Defence Forces Operations

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

565. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence with regard to the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 and section 6(1) thereof, the number of applications for authorising an interception in the interests of the security of the State that he or his Department have received from the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces since 9 March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9074/14]

Defence Forces Records

Simon Harris

566. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Defence when he will open recruitment for the Defence Forces; the recruitment process which applicants would need to undertake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8881/14]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

567. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 10 of 6 February 2014, the title and locations of the six consultancy medical services referred to in his response; the number of patients seen in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the amount paid to each of these services for each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8898/14]

Defence Forces Operations

Niall Collins

568. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Defence the number of times the Defence Forces applied to the courts to mount surveillance or interception operations under the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 in the past five years. [9193/14]

Defence Forces Operations

Niall Collins

569. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Defence the number of times the courts either rejected or accepted the grounds put forward by the Defence Forces for using surveillance or interception methods permitted under the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 during the past five years. [9194/14]

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

570. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 10 of 6 February 2014, if he will indicate the locations to which 18 doctors serving with the Defence Forces are currently posted; the number of Defence Forces personnel on average seen or treated by these doctors in each of the years 2011, 2012 and 2013; if he will state the overall cost of this element of the Defence Forces medical services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9297/14]

Semi-State Bodies Remuneration

John Lyons

571. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Defence the chief executive officers of semi-State companies under the aegis of his Department who are on Hay contracts and those who are not on Hay contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10127/14]

Water Quality

Patrick O'Donovan

572. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether, in the context of timber poles that are treated with bituminous products - as preservatives - such as tar and that are used for the purposes of electricity or telecommunications purposes, there are standards or regulations in place which are designed to prevent the leaching of the organic preservatives involved into groundwater. [9101/14]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Pat Breen

573. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8891/14]

Horse Racing Industry Development

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

574. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has information available on the value and economic contribution of the thoroughbred industry; the number of persons the sector currently employs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8897/14]

Single Payment Scheme Appeals

Joe Carey

575. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) with respect to 2012 single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8958/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Noel Coonan

576. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged area payment will issue to a person (details supplied) County Tipperary; the reasons for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8988/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

Dara Calleary

577. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo, may expect to have their disadvantaged area payments processed; when they will receive notification of the outcome of an appeal made in June 2013 regarding their AEOS application; the reasons for delay in both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8989/14]

Equine Industry

Mattie McGrath

578. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding existing by-laws whereby a town or county council agent can enter private property and remove horses from private forestry land; the fact that there seems to be an anomaly in that Carlow and Kilkenny have by-laws in place allowing this to happen and that north and south Tipperary (details supplied) do not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9003/14]

Agricultural Colleges Staffing

Patrick O'Donovan

579. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to increase staffing levels in agricultural colleges to meet the demands of new students enrolling in the colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9015/14]

Potato Sector

Andrew Doyle

580. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he is taking to promote potato producer groups in order to support growers in marketing their produce. [9190/14]

Livestock Theft

Pádraig MacLochlainn

581. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a compensation scheme for farmers who have been affected by livestock thefts, especially as farmers cannot secure insurance to cover such an eventuality. [9216/14]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

582. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the 2013 single payment and disadvantaged areas schemes will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9228/14]

Agri-Environment Options Scheme Appeals

John O'Mahony

583. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their appeal on agri-environment options scheme, AEOS, 3; the reason it is taking so long for a decision to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9253/14]

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments

John O'Mahony

584. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on their disadvantaged area scheme payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9256/14]

Grant Payments

Michael Healy-Rae

585. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the penalties being imposed in respect of farm payments; the reason there is not prior notification given to the farmers informing them of the amount of and reason for the cut; if there is a cut, the reason this is not being taken out of part of the payment rather than stopping all of the payment and causing hardship and misery for the farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9270/14]

Commonage Division

Michael Healy-Rae

586. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all commonage areas should be examined on their grazing merits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9271/14]

Commonage Division

Michael Healy-Rae

587. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the stocking rate of commonage, if it should be decided in consultation with the commonage claimant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9272/14]

Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

588. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether farmers from outside disadvantaged areas should not be allowed to rent commonages or private mountains in disadvantaged areas to qualify for payments, as this is distorting completely the situation with regard to local farmers who are genuinely farming the locality and want to make a living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9273/14]

Rural Development Programme Projects

Michael Healy-Rae

589. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the fact that a group of farmers (details supplied) believe that the new GLAS is unworkable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9274/14]